If We Were A Movie
by DancingRaindrops
Summary: Sequel to Guess Who's NOT Coming to Guest Star! Has no relation to the song, I simply lacked inspiration for the title. :D There's an opportunity for Channy to star in a movie - Chad's all for it, but Sonny's not so sure. Will their relationship survive?
1. The Offer

A/N: Thank you all so much! Everyone who reviewed the last chapter/author's note and/or epilogue of Guess Who's NOT Coming to Guest Star!, you are awesome. :D Here's the first chapter of the sequel; I hope you like it! Please review.

**If We Were A Movie**

**Chad's POV**

Life as the greatest actor of our generation has never been better. After all, I've got Sonny, Tween Choice awards, Sonny, the love of the media, Sonny, thousands of adoring fans, Sonny, Jackson Tyler out of the picture, Sonny…what more could I want? Oh, I know. A role in a movie! Which is exactly what Marshall's offering right now. Or rather, what Marshall's informing me and Sonny of right now. He's not exactly offering it. Instead, he's offering an ultimatum – the movie or our shows. Dilemma! Sure, _Mackenzie Falls_ can be "cutthroat and gossipy," and I'm not really close to my cast (I actually hang out more with the Randoms. Weird, right?), but still. It's _**Mackenzie**__ Falls_! And I'm Mackenzie! They can't replace me, that would be like – like – like _American Idol_ with British people on it! It just doesn't work that way. Sonny moves to leave the office, and I take her hand as we walk out. I have to admit, I love

having that privilege.

"Sonny, what are we gonna do?" I ask. Yes, I asked for her opinion. For her help. Chad Dylan Cooper has changed over the past few months. She smiles in response, and I can't help but be glad that Jackson Tyler came. I might never have had the courage to ask her out if not. No, scratch that, I'm sure I would have. Just maybe not so fast. But the point is that I have her now, right?

"Chad, don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. Whatever we decide. Right?" How can she be so confident? Maybe it won't be fine. But I nod anyways, just because I know it's what she wants. Sonny presses her lips to mine, and I feel a thrill go up my spine. Yes, I'm still just as crazy about her as before. "After all," she continues, "it's like you always say. We're meant to be. Wherever we are and whatever shows we're doing." True. But still. This is a big decision. Giving up our shows? Especially when we're the main people on them. And we would have to leave behind our – _friends_ (God, I can't get over that, it sounds so weird) – on _So Random!_. But a movie! I've always dreamed of being a movie star, as long as I can remember. To see my name as top billing on a movie poster, to hear that guy with the deep and dramatic voice read out "Chad Dylan Cooper" as he names the cast, to walk down the red carpet at my premiere. I can see it now, in my mind's eye, as I sign autographs and smile for the cameras while girls scream my name. Oh, wait. That already happens. But it will be even more, and even bigger when I'm in a movie! And no, the movie that I made doesn't count. That was kind of a documentary. And it was a made-for-TV movie anyways. But one that's in theatres…that would be spectacular.

Sonny nudges me, pulling me out of my glassy-eyed trance.

"Right?" she asks again. I shake the images out of my head and focus on the worried one before me.

"Yes, of course. But Sonny, I really think we should go for it! Can't you just imagine the headlines? The fans?" Sonny stares at me.

"Chad, you're not thinking logically. You're imagining the perks of being a movie star. But don't you remember? We've already got those! And we don't even know what kind of roles we would have, or what kind of pay we would get, or where we'd be filming, or who we'd be working with, or anything! Do you really want to throw away _Mackenzie Falls_ just like that, for some project you don't know anything about? And what about Tawni? And Nico, and Grady, and Zora? Leave them behind? I don't know. I'll have to find out all about this movie before I accept. Would you accept even if I didn't?" Now her eyes are boring into mine, trying to test me. That's all it is, after all – a challenge. She wants proof of my feelings, proof that our relationship is strong enough to keep me on _Mackenzie Falls_. And of course it is, she doesn't need proof of that. But she's trying to guilt me into it anyways. She's forgotten who she's talking to, though. Chad Dylan Cooper is a master at the game of persuasion.

"Sonny, Sonny, Sonny, what kind of a question is that? That would be like me asking you if you would decline the role even if I had already accepted mine. It's just not fair to ask something like that. Is it?" I know that she's undecided, that she might not do the movie even if I do. There's more to hold her here at Condor Studios then there is for me. And we both know it.

"Well…okay. Maybe it's not a fair question," she concedes. "But I still think we should find out more about this movie before deciding anything. _Both _of us," she argues immediately, not wanting to declare defeat.

"Fine." I suppose it's logical. But so is my desire to see CHAD DYLAN COOPER in lights, right?

"Fine," Sonny grins, glad that she's gotten her way.

"Good."

"Good."

"But don't get used to me giving in, sunshine. Because Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't yield to anyone more than once," I warned her.

"Oh, of course," she agrees with a smirk and a laugh at my expense.

"You dare to laugh at Chad Dylan Cooper?!" I ask with an angry look on my face, reminiscent of Jackson Tyler. Sonny giggles and tousles my hair (gasp!) as we enter her dressing room. Tawni is there, waiting to hear all about our meeting with Marshall. Strangely, she's my favorite cast member on _So Random!_, aside from Sonny of course. I think it has something to do with our mutual hatred of Jackson Tyler and love for Sonny, even though it took both of us an extremely long time to come to terms with the latter. And there's also the fact that she's not a) stupid most of the time or b) insane and disturbingly manipulative, which is more than can be said for the other Randoms. No slight to them, of course. Haha. No, CDC hasn't changed all _that_ much.

"Well? What happened? Are you getting kicked off _So Random!_?" Tawni asks urgently when neither Sonny nor I make any move to speak.

"What? No, of course not!" Sonny responds quickly. I give her a sidelong glance that makes her sigh. "Well, not exactly. Apparently we're being offered parts in a movie." Tawni's jaw drops.

"_What?!_ A movie? You? But…" she trails off. We all know what she's thinking – that Tawni should have been asked instead of Sonny. Which is entirely a matter of opinion. "Wait. Were you offered a role too?" Tawni turns to me.

"Yes. Yes, I was." I can't help but smirk and pop my collar as I say so. After all, it's a matter of pride, even if I refuse. I was still asked.

"That's why!" Tawni exclaims with a "Eureka!" kind of tone. "Of _course_ they want you both in their movie. Can't you just imagine the box office appeal? They always spread rumors about the leading roles being an item to gather more viewers. Since you two are already an established couple, they don't even have to lift a finger and tweens around the world will pour in. Why didn't you tell me your idea, Sonny? It's such a good one! I need to call up Zac. I bet he can get us into a movie." I shudder involuntarily. Zac. I still can't believe that Tawni's dating him. Granted, they've only gone out twice. But still, that means I hear his name at least five times a day, if not more. And that's just five times too many. Can't you just imagine how much better it would be if all those "Zac Efron!"s were replaced with "Chad Dylan Cooper!"s?

Sonny turns bright red at the idea that she's using me to get roles. She looks at me and says worriedly, "That was never what I wanted, Chad, please don't think that!" Silly girl, of course I don't think that.

"Sonny, I _know_ you weren't thinking that. I was more excited about the movie than you were! And you're much too nice to do something like that," I reassure her. Gosh, girls can be so insecure.

"Oh no!" Tawni suddenly exclaims, snapping her cell phone shut. "What will I do with you guys gone? I'll have no civilized company!" I can't help but laugh, even as Sonny shoots me a glare. Why look at _me_ like that? I'm not the one who said it!

"First of all, our castmates are perfectly normal." Tawni and I both look at Sonny like she's crazy. "Okay, maybe not _normal_, but they're not uncivilized!" This is greeted with eye rolls. "And secondly," Sonny moves on, seeing that the topic of civilized Randoms is going nowhere, "we're not going anywhere. Well, at least until we know a bit more. Right, Chad?"

"Yeah. Sure. Of course," I say in a monotone. Hey, no one ever said I had to be pleasant about giving in.

"Are you kidding me? You're crazy, Sonny! You _have_ to take it! Tell me what this movie's about." Well, Tawni agrees with me, which is good. Sonny finds it hard to go against the both of us.

"That's just the thing! We don't know anything about this project," Sonny explains.

"No, but you will pretty soon, unless I'm mistaken. And I'm _never_ mistaken." Tawni points at Jeff - Josh - whoever he is - as he reaches the room. He pulls out three stacks of mail from the cart and hands one to each of us before leaving. At the top of mine and Sonny's are thick, official-looking envelopes that must be about the movie. Tawni grabs Sonny's and tears it open eagerly, and I do the same with my packet.

"You two would be the leads!" Tawni exclaims. "They don't tell you who any of the rest of the cast would be, though. I guess it's a surprise." Flipping through the script, I can see that Tawni's right. Not to mention, we're filming only an hour or so away from here, and the pay is better than Mackenzie Falls, which means it's _way_ higher than _So Random!_'s. I would play the male lead, the heartthrob of the show, of course, but the story would center around Sonny's character, who is desperately in love with mine. Which is always an added bonus. Some other girl would play my girlfriend - I wonder who that would be. Regardless, though, this movie sounds interesting. And it would be a blast working with Sonny; that time I guest starred on _So Random!_ in place of Jackson was one of the best times I've ever had. All in all, what's not to like, if not love? It's a _movie_, after all.

"Sonny, we should do it. We really should," I say emphatically, Tawni nodding behind me.

"I don't know, Chad. Leaving _So Random!_, possibly never to return?" Tawni stops nodding as Sonny speaks.

"What? Leave? But that's ridiculous, you can't leave!" Sonny shoots me a look that clearly means she is _not_ leaving _So Random!_, especially now that Tawni agrees with her. Tawni notices, and quickly adds to her statement. "But you can't refuse the movie either. Maybe if you could talk to Marshall...but you have to take this role. Take it from someone who's lived in Hollywood for much longer than you. This will be huge for your career, and that's what comes first in this town. Even before friends," she ends with a sniff. Oh, God, spare me. I work in drama already – I don't need to live in it.

"Oh, Tawn, you know friends and family always come first to me!" Sonny rushes over and gives Tawni a huge hug. I decide that now is as good a time as any to leave them alone. I have a scene to shoot in any case. Drama surrounds me, what can I say?

"Sonny, I gotta go. But think about it, okay? This is what you've dreamed of your whole life. Don't let it slip away," I say, both to Sonny and to myself. She frowns in response, but I kiss her lips until they curve upwards, the way they ought to. "Love you," I tell her as I walk out. And it's true. I do love Sonny. But should I let that get in the way of my acting and what I want?

A/N: So I don't know how much I'll be updating over Thanksgiving break, we'll see. Reviews will definitely make updates come faster, though! :)


	2. The Decision

A/N: Thank you all for your feedback! You gave some awesome plot ideas in your review for last chapter. Thanks to Fluffness, girl you don't know, kychelledebeast, lalawriter2000, bandme7, Trace-Demi-Cyrus, call me what you want, miraculousxtori, DmslilAngel103, and ChannyFan4ever! Your ideas actually influenced me to write two versions of this chapter. I'll talk about them more in the note at the bottom. This chapter's shorter than the last one, but I hope you like it anyways! Please review!

**If We Were A Movie**

**Sonny's POV**

"Love you," Chad says to me as he leaves. I can't help but feel pressured by it, even though I know that isn't his intention. I don't really want to do the movie, but I know Chad does. But he would refuse if I asked him to, which I probably would so we could see each other all the time.

It's not the fault of the movie, which actually seems too good to be true. I just don't think I'm cut out for it. I'm funny. Funny, that's it. I'm not even called an actress - I'm "the funny girl from _So Random!_". How could I "act" alongside serious actors? Especially as the lead? I can just imagine the other cast members gossiping about me behind my back. _"Look, that's Sonny Munroe. She only got the part because of her famous boyfriend, she can't act to save her life."_

But as much as I don't want to be talked about like that, I also don't want to be that controlling girlfriend who holds her boyfriend back from accomplishing his dream - after all, I'm not stupid. I know that as an actor, a more serious actor than the cast of _So Random!,_ this project is a dream come true. I'm the only thing holding him back, really, and if I _did_ take the part along with him, that wouldn't even be an issue. Who am I to keep him from his dream?

"Sonny? You're taking the part, right?" Tawni asks me. Moment of truth - _So Random!_ or Chad? I let out a sigh, knowing my answer. _Chad._

"I - I think I will," I say, trying to refrain from giving a definite answer.

"For Chad?" Sometimes I think she can read my mind. My look in response tells her all she needs to know. "Well, no matter what the reason, I'm glad you chose to take it. For a second there, I was worried that you wouldn't. You should go tell Chad, I'm sure he wants to know," Tawni starts to choke up a little by the end of her statement, and I reach out and hug her again. It's much more natural now than it was a few months ago.

"I'm sure I won't have to go immediately," I assure her before leaving. Tawni doesn't react, and I know it's because she doesn't like showing emotion, showing that she really does care. Chad better appreciate what I'm doing for him.

As I reach the set of _Mackenzie Falls_, I see that Chad is filming a monologue about Mackenzie's current true love. "She is more beautiful than the stars in the sky, and she shines infinitely more brightly. How I wish that her incandescent light would shine upon me!" Chad's gaze is searching as he speaks, and it falls upon me. "For she is the loveliest creature in the world. Her smile when bestowed upon me is the greatest gift I could ever hope to receive, and I would give my right hand for a single moment with her." I sniff, affected by the scene. And no, I'm not becoming overly sentimental! I'm just appreciative of my boyfriend's marvelous acting. Which brings up the movie and my reluctant decision. I love Chad, but leaving _So Random!_ will still be hard. I sigh at the thought, and Chad notices. "To see her frown makes my heart swell with affection. Oh, how I wish I could be the one to erase the frown upon her otherwise perfect face, to brush away her tears when they have fallen, to comfort her for the rest of my days," he concludes with a tender look in my direction. I can't help but smile in return.

"Cut!" someone yells, jerking Chad's eyes away from mine. "That was perfect! Where did those lines come from? They were a thousand times better than the ones in the script!" My jaw drops. Those weren't the writers' lines? Chad really meant it?

Chad smiles at me before turning back to the director. "They came from the heart," he explains. The director heads off, muttering "From the heart. From the heart," to himself repeatedly. Chad walks up to me and kisses me. I close my eyes and wrap my arms around him. _This_ is the reason why I'm giving up _So Random!. _To be in Chad's arms every day.

"Sunshine, what's wrong? You were frowning." He's worried again. As per usual.

"Oh, nothing. I made my decision about the movie." He pulls away to look me in the eye.

"Sonny, you don't have to accept if you don't want to." How is it that he already knows my decision? He chuckles in spite of himself. "You're just so easy to read." Wow, that's just a bit creepy. "But honestly, you shouldn't do it if you don't want to. I would never want that."

"No, Chad, I know you wouldn't. But _you_ have to take this role. And_ I _have to see you everyday. So it follows naturally that I'm going too." He hugs me tightly in response before pulling out his cell phone and dialing Marshall's number.

"Hello, Marshall. Chad Dylan Cooper here. Sonny and I have decided to take the movie." I close my eyes as I hear the words come out of his mouth. No going back now. No more _So Random!._ No more everything I've come to know and love while I've been at Condor Studios. But still, losing all of that is better than losing Chad. Right?

**Chad's POV**

As I tell Marshall that we're going to accept the parts, I look down at Sonny. She has her eyes shut, as if it's at the part of a show where you don't want to see what happens next. It makes me worried. Maybe this is a bad idea. If she has such serious misgivings about it, it can't be good.

"Chad? Did you hear what I said?" Marshall's voice issues from the phone in my hand.

"Sorry, what?"

"I said, it's a good thing you guys made up your mind quickly. The director of the movie just called and said he needs to see you two tomorrow if you accept. You'll be staying on location, so you need to pack up your stuff today. He also said something about how you were going to love the rest of the cast, whatever that means." Pack up today? Leave tomorrow? That's not possible.

"But Marshall – "

"Sorry, I gotta go now. I have to find a replacement for Sonny. God, what a nightmare. Well, I'll see you tomorrow morning, Chad. You and Sonny be ready to go." Seriously? Marshall just hung up on me? Wow. That just shows where being nice gets you.

"Chad? What's wrong?" Sonny gazes up at me with concern. Oh, God, I don't want to be the one to tell her. She's already unsure, and having almost no time to say goodbye will not be good. But what can I do?

"We – we have to pack, sunshine. We're leaving Condor Studios tomorrow."

A/N: Okay, so in the original version, Chad accepted and Sonny refused the part. But then I read your reviews with ideas about the cast of the movie, and that gave me inspiration for a totally different storyline. So I wrote out both versions, and I think this one is the better one. It will have more Chad/Sonny interaction, and it will hopefully be a better story overall. Oh, and that fluff in this chapter about Chad and his monologue – I don't know where that came from. It wasn't in either version originally, but when I started typing this up, it just appeared into the storyline. So don't criticize my awkward and strange attempt at being romantic. :D Please review! You are obligated if you have alerted!


	3. Goodbyes

A/N: I'm on a roll today! Updating both of my stories. :D Thank you to Fluffness, girlpower8900, Trace-Demi-Cyrus, Hiilani, DmslilAngel103, call me what you want, kychelledebeast, Love At First Fight, Joker236, and ChannyFan4ever for reviewing! You guys are awesome. This chapter's sad, just to warn you, and the characters might be a bit OC. I made the Tawni/Sonny friendship really strong based on my impressions from the episode "Sonny: So Far." Anyways, I hope you like it!

**If We Were A Movie**

**Sonny's POV**

"We - we have to pack, sunshine. We're leaving Condor Studios tomorrow," Chad tells me with trepidation. He knows that I don't want to hear that. And he's right. I open my mouth to explode and ask why, but the look on his face stops me. Chad's guilty already - probably because its due to him that I'm doing the movie anyways. I take a deep breath and control myself.

"Fine. I'll see you later," I say curtly before turning on my heel and leaving the set. When I reach my dressing room, I lose my composure and dissolve into tears. Leave tomorrow? Already? But I'm not ready! Not ready to say goodbye, not ready to be in a movie, not ready for anything!

"Sonny?" Tawni enters the room and sits down next to me. "What's wrong? Is it Chad?"

"N-no," I force out between sobs. "I h-have to leave t-tomorrow."

"WHAT?!" Tawni shrieks. "That's ridiculous! You can't leave tomorrow! You should at least wait until after the next show, so you can say goodbye to the audience! And Chad needs to film an episode or two where he somehow disappears, right? Why _tomorrow_?"

"Oh, Tawn, I always knew you cared," I sigh while giving her a hug. "The director of the movie wants us there tomorrow, filming starts almost straightaway. I guess Chad will have to work something out over at _Mackenzie Falls_. And I'll just write a letter for you to read at the next show, how's that?" I start choking up a bit at the end.

"Okay. But are you coming back after the movie's over?" she asked hopefully.

"I don't know," I told her. "I really don't know."

**Chad's POV**

So. Today's the day. My suitcases are packed, my dressing room is stripped clean, and I'm heading out into the parking lot of Condor Studios for possibly the last time. I see a limo waiting to escort us to the site, since I don't know where it is, and a group of people standing nearby. I assume they're here to say goodbye. There's my cast, the Randoms excluding Sonny and Tawni, Marshall, Bitterman, Mr. Condor, Dakota (shudder), Jeff/Josh (I still haven't figured that one out), and even Brenda.

"Hey, peeps. Where're Sonny and Tawni?" I inquire.

"I dunno, but they better hurry up!" answers a clearly anxious Marshall. "You guys are gonna have to be out of here by eleven, and it's ten fifty!" Well, someone's eager to have us gone.

"There they are!" announces Nico. We all turn and see Sonny with red and puffy eyes, pulling her suitcases with her. Tawni's walking next to her, carrying Sonny's purse. Her eyes are glassy, like she's determined to show no emotion.

"Sonny," I whisper in greeting as I pull her into a hug. Honestly, she looks like she needs one. When I let her go, she gives me a smile in response before turning to face the farewells. She goes down the line, giving each of them a hug and reminding them of individual memories. When she reaches Tawni, the last one in line, the waterworks start.

"Tawni...I know we weren't always friends, but now you're one of my best friends in the world. I'm going to miss you so much!" Sonny exclaims through tears. Tawni's expression is still stiff, like she's trying her hardest not to cry. When Sonny wraps her arms around her, though, the dam breaks, and soon Tawni's crying as hard as Sonny. I decide to make my goodbyes in the meantime. I shake hands with and hug the members of my cast, tug on Zora's pigtails, clap Nico and Grady on the back, shake Marshall's, Bitterman's, and Mr. Condor's hands, pat Dakota on the head, and wave to Jeff/Josh and Brenda. I also pass out individually autographed pictures of me, each with a unique message. Tawni's tears eventually cease, and I take the opportunity to hug her and hand her her picture. Which starts the sprinklers again.

"Well - I guess this is it," I say somewhat awkwardly. I rack my mind for some way to say goodbye for the last time. "I guess I'll see you guys…later. Peace out, suckahs!" I say before jumping into the limo.

**Sonny's POV**

I look terrible, with eyes that even Tawni and her make-up can't make look pretty and tears constantly pouring. But I couldn't care less. I have a reason to be sad. Chad yells his signature goodbye line and gets in the limo. Now it's my turn to make a speech.

"You guys...are awesome," I choke out. "I'll never forget you and the times we had together. I - I love you all!" is all I can manage before I quickly open the door and sit next to Chad, who puts his arm around my shoulders. The window is rolled down, and choruses of "Goodbye!" "I'll miss you!" "Email me!" and so on are heard as we drive away. I wave furiously until they are no longer visible. Then I bury my face in Chad's shoulder, succumbing to his gentle touch and soothing words. When my tears run dry and my eyes throb from crying, I hiccup a few times before sitting up.

"You okay, sunshine?" Chad asks with concern.

"I - I think so," is my unsure reply.

"I've never seen you cry so much." He's worried, of course. I kiss him on the cheek to assuage his fears.

"No, but I have." He looks at me with a question in his eyes. "When I - broke up with you. After Jackson Tyler and the _Tween Weekly_ articles." Chad's face grows pained at the memory of that time. "So you see, I cried more because of you. Which is why I had to accept this movie. Because you come before _So Random!._ Even my tears tell me so." Chad hugs me tightly when he hears that.

"Don't worry, Sonny. I promise that this is going to be worth it."

"I love you," I tell him, putting my head on his shoulder. His arm naturally goes around my shoulders once more.

"I love you too, my sunshine," he replies, settling comfortably into the seat. "I love you too." And just like that, I suddenly feel a hundred times better.

A/N: So kind of a filler chapter, I guess. But next chapter should be a bit more exciting – hopefully. We'll see. :) Please review!


	4. Surprise!

A/N: Sorry for not updating in a few days! It was my fourteenth birthday on Tuesday :D Sorry, random note. Anyways, thank you to the reviewers; I'm running low on time, but I'll acknowledge you all next chapter! Your reviews mean a lot to me. This chapter starts out kinda slow, but I'm hoping it gets better by the end! Tell me what you think. :D

**If We Were A Movie**

**Chad's POV**

After Sonny's stopped crying, she hasn't exactly been in the mood for talking. For the fifteen minutes since then, I've simply been holding her. That's apparently all she needs, since she hasn't spoken for awhile.

Eventually, the car pulls up to a hotel. Our suitcases in tow, Sonny and I walk into the lobby and are given our room keys, as well as the news that we'll need to be in one of the conference rooms in an hour. I shiver in anticipation, knowing that what I've waited for so long is close enough for me to taste. Sonny looks up at me, seemingly able to read what I'm thinking, and she gives a half-hearted grin. That smile should be much wider, but I know it will grow while we're here.

We take the ride up the elevator and walk down the corridor to our rooms (which are next to each other) in silence. I'm a bit anxious – okay, a lot anxious – and Sonny doesn't appear to share in my enthusiasm enough that I can talk to her about it. She probably just needs a bit of time alone, right? I kiss her lightly on the forehead when we reach her room, and her smile in response is a bit larger than it was before. Maybe my happiness is rubbing off on her. I'm sure all she needs is reassurance.

"Love you, Sonny. I'll come over in…forty-five minutes or so."

She nods, saying in a somewhat hoarser voice than usual, "Love you too, Chad," before entering her room, the door shutting behind her.

**Sonny's POV**

Once I hear my door click back into place, I let a few more tears escape. But there's no time for a full-out crying session – I have to make myself look pretty for the meeting. I highly doubt that showing up with bags under my bloodshot eyes and matted hair is going to make a good first impression. I unpack my suitcases quickly before jumping into the shower. Half an hour later, I'm dressed nicely and the traces of tears have been washed away and concealed with a bit of make-up. Chad knocks on my door, and I go to answer it. He looks amazing; his blue eyes somehow even more sparkly and yet more serious, every strand of his perfect hair in place. I've gotten so used to seeing him in his _Mackenzie Falls_ uniform that it almost shocks me to see him in jeans and a t-shirt, as though he's trying to look like a normal guy, but failing entirely because there's something so obviously different about him. It's something in the way he walks, the way he talks, the way he speaks. Not to mention the way he looks. It's just instantaneously apparent that he isn't your average guy. And the way he looks at me...it makes me feel like I'm not just an average girl.

"Sunshine, you look beautiful," he greets me with a kiss on the cheek. Normally he wouldn't be this sweet - let's face it, this is still Chad Dylan Cooper we're talking about here - but he is evidently still under the impression that I'm heartbroken over leaving _So Random!_. Which I was, of course. But sometimes a hot shower can clear your head and change your perspective. It's time to embrace this opportunity and get back to my bright, happy self. After all, they don't call me Little Miss Sunshine for nothing!

I give my trademark grin to Chad in response, and his face lights up, happy with the knowledge that I'm back to my usual self. He takes my hand, I grab my purse, and we walk over to the elevator.

"So what do you think Marshall meant when he said that thing about the cast?" Chad asks me. I have absolutely no idea what he's talking about.

"What?" is my incredibly coherent response.

"Oh, that's right, I didn't tell you. When Marshall told me yesterday that we would have to leave today - which was why I didn't tell you, I was distracted by that - he said that the director had told him we would 'love our new castmates,' or something like that." As Chad finishes explaining, a knot forms in my stomach. I feel like something's about to go wrong, like the dramatic moment you see in movies is coming up. And how fitting it would be for it to come up now. The dinging of the elevator as we go down past levels of rooms seems like the bells of impending doom. Okay, maybe not _that_ serious. But bad enough.

"Sonny?" Chad inquires concernedly. "Everything alright?" I can't tell him about my worries, he'll just think I'm trying to make a big deal out of nothing. Especially since that's what a part of me thinks too. It's that part that answers Chad's question.

"Yeah, of course! I'm just anxious. Anxious excited," I correct myself. "I'm sure the director only wanted to reassure us that we would have a great time when he spoke about the cast," I reply with a beam. Chad must be anxious too, because he nods and accepts my explanation. And Chad _always_ knows when I'm lying. He opens the door to the conference room, and we step inside.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Chad Dylan Cooper. And darling little Sonny. How..._lovely_." I would know that voice anywhere. No one else I know can inject such venom into such sweet words. Chad stiffens, and his hand in mine suddenly goes cold.

"Jackson Tyler," he greets the villain through clenched teeth.

"Oh, no. I don't go by that name anymore. I've decided that the way to go is by using three names. _You _taught me that, Mr. CDC. So I changed my name. Legally, too, which is a first for me. I'm now Ben Landon Tyler," he smirks, saying his name the same way that Chad used to. And still does, on occasion. "And guess what? I've already got a sandwich named after me - and I can guarantee you think it's delicious. Ever had a BLT, Cooper?" What an absolutely stupid thing to be competitive over. Names and sandwiches? Really? _Really_?

"The answer to that question is of no importance, for I can assure you that I will never eat one from this day forward, _Tyler_," Chad spits out. I squeeze his hand tighter to keep him calm, and it's just in time, too. A large, beefy man carrying a briefcase and a megaphone enters the room, flanked by two men who I assume are bodyguards. And behind them is none other than one of my old role models - Mandy Mitchelson, the girl whom I replaced on _So Random!_. She's gorgeous, of course, with hair the color of milk chocolate and huge emerald eyes that contrast perfectly. I think I need to stop comparing eyes to jewels. Nonetheless, I'm thrilled to be meeting her at last.

"Mandy!" I squeal with excitement, letting go of Chad's hand and rushing over to her. "I'm Sonny, Sonny Munroe. It's great to finally be meeting you!"

"...oh, that's right! I remember you now. You're the new girl on _So Random!_. The one who's dating Chad Dylan Cooper at the moment." I nod eagerly, glad that she actually knows who I am. Once she left _So Random!_, she had said that she wanted to do movies. I guess this is the beginning of that career. "Speaking of Chad Dylan Cooper...Chad! How are you?" she adds, walking past me and giving my boyfriend a hug. "It's been such a long time." Chad stands there, stunned as Mandy keeps her arms around him.

"I – I – Mandy?" He stares at her for a moment before he looks over at me, shocked and somewhat – abashed. What? What's that supposed to mean?

"Yes, _Mandy_! Don't you remember me? God, the times we used to have…I'm so glad we're mature now, and we can get over that whole awkward period!" she exclaims, still grasping onto _my_ boyfriend.

"The times you used to have, huh?" I say, glaring at Chad.

"Hehe, well, you see, Sonny –" Chad chuckles nervously.

"Oh, yes. They were the _best_! Oh – but you didn't know! Of course you didn't. Chad and I used to date. Secretly, of course, to get the media out of our hair. And then that little immature incident happened, so we broke up. That's what started the _Mackenzie Falls_ and _So Random! _rivalry, you know. We were both a bit bitter. But we're over it now, right, _darling_?" Mandy cuts Chad off and grins at him to make up for it. He gives her a small smile back before glancing anxiously at me. And he didn't tell me this _why_?!

"Well, well, well. What do you know. It is a small world after all," Jackson inserts. I had almost forgotten he was there too. Can my life get any worse? This movie is turning into a nightmare. Maybe I'll wake up and this will all be a dream. I'll be back at _So Random!_ with Chad at _Mackenzie Falls_ as my boyfriend who tells me everything, and this will have never happened.

"You see, Miss Munroe? Mr. Cooper? I told you you would love your castmates!" the large man speaks up. "I'm the director of this movie, as I'm sure you've deduced by now." Chad manages to worm his way out of Mandy's evil clutches and stands behind me, wrapping his arm around my waist. But he's not going to get away with this easily. I will most definitely have a talk with him once this meeting's over.

"Yes, of course, Mr. – " Chad pauses in the middle of his schmoozing, realizing that he doesn't know the man's name.

"Mitchelson. You can call me Mitch." Mr. Mitchelson walks over to Mandy and smiles at her. A matching beam spreads across her face as "Mitch" starts to speak. "And I believe you already know my daughter?"

A/N: Oooh! Kinda a cliffie! So what did you think? Oh, and kychelledebeast suggested to me a couple chapters ago (which I meant to ask you guys but never got around to doing) that I should do a spin-off of this story (not right now, maybe after this is finished?) where I use my original plotline, where Chad accepts and Sonny refuses. Tell me what you think about that as well as your impressions of this chapter! I know the Mandy plotline is so overused, but I felt like the idea of her just fit the kind of character I needed for this story.


	5. Ancient History

A/N: Thanks to TeddyLuver, zash236, Fluffness, Joker236, Hiilani, Trace-Demi-Cyrus, hpandtwilitelova420, dubblebubble71, call me what you want, TrueStoryTeller, and girlpower8900 for reviewing! You guys are the best. :D And sorry for not updating for almost a week. I've been busy – and I also wrote another one-shot, **A Night Like Any Other** instead of this chapter. My apologies. :) But here it is, after quite a wait! Oh, and to those reading **Stormy with Patches of Sky**, the next update might take a while. I'm so very sorry. But the next episode (With a Chance of Dating) is so incredibly filled with Channy that it will take a long time to write it all out. Sorry! And now, without further ado, here's the next chapter of _this _story.

**If We Were A Movie**

**Sonny's POV**

Daughter? Mandy is his _daughter_? Well, this just can't get any better. Chad freezes behind me. He's obviously just as shocked as I am. Ha. Serves him right for never telling me about Mandy. My thoughts must show on my face, because Jackson - Ben - I'll call him Tyler - winks in my direction with a jerk of his head at Chad. I toss my head and turn back to Mitch.

"Why, yes, Mitch, as a matter of fact, I do!" I say with a smile, pretending to be my usual self. "In fact, I was a huge fan of hers back home at Wisconsin - and I still am! Although I don't think I've seen you in anything recently," I add with fake sadness. "But I'm sure we'll have _tons_ of fun together while we shoot this movie! How long is this going to take, exactly?" I turn back towards Mitch, hoping that he'll tell me it's only for a month or two.

"Oh, I don't know...anywhere from six months to a year, most likely."

"Six months to a year?!" I exclaim, shocked and furious. This day is not going my way at all.

"Yes, exactly. Which is why you all need to bond. You four are the leading roles in this show, and you won't be able to act well together if you're awkward with one another. So you should hang out together, spend some time with one another. That's what this meeting was for - to introduce you all, but apparently you all know each other. Which makes it that much easier. Well, I'll let you know when our next meeting is. For now, just learn your lines and develop that chemistry together!" Mitch picks up his briefcase as he finishes talking and pulls out four scripts, handing one to each of us. Then he walks off without another word. I want do to the same.

"Chad, let's go," I say through gritted teeth. Oh, he is _so_ going to get it. He takes one look at my face, and he immediately lets me drag him away. At least he's intelligent enough to do that.

"Bye, Chad!" waves Mandy while winking and blowing a kiss. How can she even do all that at once without looking ridiculous?

"See ya, Cooper. Darling Sonny." Ugh. Tyler calling me darling. I shudder as I press the button for the elevator somewhat harder than necessary. My other hand is gripping Chad's wrist firmly, and he starts to squirm before catching sight of my expression. He instantly goes still again. He's definitely getting good at that.

The elevator doors slide open, and I pull Chad in. There are two other people inside as well - a little girl, about eleven years old, and who I presume is her grandmother. I smile at the girl, who's staring up at Chad and me in awe.

"You're - you're - " I feel a strange sense of déjà vu as the apparent fan stutters in amazement. Chad smirks. He loves getting this reaction.

"Chad Dylan Cooper." I make a mental note to tell him later on how much he sounds like "BLT" when he says his name in that arrogant manner.

"Yes! And you're Sonny Munroe! I love you guys! You're my favorite celebrity couple! You're just so adorable together! I love how you never have those huge fights that other couples have. You two are just _so_ in love, right?" she asks excitedly. She obviously isn't aware of what has happened today. Chad looks at me anxiously, unsure how to answer the question, before staring at the ceiling awkwardly. I honestly don't know what to say either. Luckily, I'm saved by the bell - we've reached our floor, as the elevator's dinging noise informs us.

"Well, goodbye! It was great to meet a fan! Always dream big!" I tell her as I yank Chad out of the elevator and down the hall. The last I see of her before the doors close is her disappointed face. Now is not the time to feel guilty or sad, however. Not for me, at least. Hopefully it is for Chad. Once the door to my room shuts behind us, meaning we finally have some privacy, I explode.

"Chad Dylan Cooper! How could you not tell me you dated Mandy? That she was more than just your usual fling? That she's the reason behind the rivalry? Everything about her and you pertains to me, and not just because I'm your girlfriend. As a member of _So Random!, _I ought to have been told these things! Why did you keep it hidden from me?! Is there some particular reason why? What's so special about her that you couldn't tell me about the two of you?!" I pause for breath, and Chad seizes the opportunity to defend himself.

"Okay, Sonny, I'm sorry! I'm sorry you didn't know about Mandy! I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her and all of my other ex-girlfriends! I'm sorry I didn't think it was right to talk about my relationship with the girl you replaced while I was dating you! I'm _sorry_ that I was trying not to hurt your feelings!" What started out as a true apology is evolving into something more biting as Chad's anger grows. And I know I can't ignore what he just said. He should have told me, of course, but he had a somewhat legitimate reason for not doing so. I sigh and step towards him, opening my arms in a gesture of reconcilliation. He wraps his arms around me immediately.

"Sonny, I didn't - I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't trying to blame you. I just - it's been a long day. I'm sorry," he apologizes, much more sincerely. Then he lets out a huge sigh. "So you want to know about me and Mandy?" I nod in response. "Okay. Well, first of all, she means nothing to me anymore. You know that, right?" I nod again, more reluctantly. "Good. Well…I met Mandy while at Condor Studios, as you can guess. She was – not like she was today. She was…"

"Gorgeous?" I fill in miserably.

"Well, she was pretty. Not as pretty as you when you have that bright smile on your face, though. Anyways, she was like no one I had ever met. She watched _Mackenzie Falls_, but she didn't like Mackenzie. She apparently preferred Devon, at least in the show. Which meant that she didn't fall all over me. When I laughed at her for being on a comedy show, she shot back comments about drama that were just as biting. She was different. So I asked her out one day, under the pretense of a debate. Her favorite flavor of ice cream was strawberry – mine, as you know, is chocolate. Like your eyes," Chad adds with a smile. I'm so caught up in the story that I don't even blink in response. "So I told her we would have to go get ice cream to see just which flavor was better. And…well, we hit it off. We went out for a couple months. And then one day, I – I caught her cheating on me. She was making out with some guy in her dressing room." He closes his eyes as he relives the moment, and I can't help but notice how hurt he still is by its memory. "It was bad. We yelled at each other, we said nasty things that I would rather forget, and she even threw some stuff at me. We never spoke again after that – I pretended that I was better than her and all the Randoms, and after a while, I started to believe it. I never told my cast about Mandy, I always managed to cover up my disappearances somehow. The Randoms knew that we were dating, of course – you guys can't keep secrets to save your lives – but they never knew why we broke up. Mandy and I never talked about it. They just knew that I treated them worse, so they began to hate me. And then you came along," he concludes with another small grin. But even though I'm usually powerless against his dimples, my face doesn't move a muscle.

The way Chad talks about her – it's like he's still not over her. It's like there's this whole other side of him that I didn't know, like everything I know about him somehow traces back to her. No matter what Chad says, I can tell that he isn't completely unaffected by her presence. She's as beautiful as ever, and it seems like she wants him back. And if she does, how could I stop her? Mandy's everything I ever wanted to be – gorgeous, funny, talented, adored, the list goes on and on. Why wouldn't Chad prefer someone like that to me?

"I wonder if she's with Tyler," Chad says, trying to be nonchalant but failing. I knew it. He still cares about her.

"I don't think so. They didn't seem like it," I assure him in what's meant to be a kindly tone but ends up being bitter.

"Sonny? You okay?" he asks worriedly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. It's just been a long day, that's all. Like you said. I think I need some rest," I fake. Before he can open his mouth again, I start leading him to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Chad." I reach up and kiss him softly on the lips, wondering how many times Mandy has done the same. The thought of it makes my face twist with pain, and I shut the door in Chad's face.

It's official. My relationship with Chad is doomed. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. Mandy wants Chad. Chad still unconsciously wants Mandy. They get together, and bada boom. Sonny Munroe disappears from the equation. I wonder if she was ever really there.

**Chad's POV**

Sonny slams the door in my face abruptly after kissing me, a grimace on her pretty face. I haven't seen a smile there, a true smile, a happy smile that says "All is right with the world!" in the way that only Sonny's smile can since before we ever heard about this movie. It makes me seriously question whether I made a mistake in subconsciously forcing Sonny to do it. Especially since Mandy's here.

Mandy. The name used to make me smile, used to make me think of a girl who I cherished. I never told her that I loved her, though. Because really, I never did. Sonny is the only girl I have ever loved. Perhaps I should have told that to her, considering her expression when I told her about me and Mandy. I can't help but sigh at the memory of those times, remembering what used to be. Before Sonny, Mandy was really the only girl with whom I had a relationship that meant more than just a girl on my arm. I mean, I love Sonny. Really, I do. It's just that you never truly get over some relationships, right? Especially the ones that end like Mandy's and mine did? Even when you know that you _should _get over it, you just can't. It affects you so much that it stays with you. I just hope that Sonny understands that. Because right now, it isn't looking too good.

A/N: Review, review, review! :)


	6. Game Over

A/N: Wow, you guys are amazing. Seriously. Your reviews for last chapter were unbelievable! And I'm sorry I didn't have enough time to reply to them all, but trust me when I say I read them all and was inspired. :D Thanks to Fluffness, sonzizzle, dubblebubble71, Hiilani, kychelledebeast, girlpower8900, Love at First Fight, DmslilAngel103, Joker236, Girltech101, call me what you want, and TrueStoryTeller! Your reviews are what keep me going. Speaking of which, I'm debating whether or not to continue my story **Stormy with Patches of Sky**, simply because the chapters take a really long time to write and the number of reviews isn't quite as many as I would like. So if you want me to continue that, please review that one too. :) I feel really greedy now. Anyways, enjoy this chapter! See the note at the bottom for more details.

**If We Were A Movie**

**Sonny's POV**

Yawning, I pull myself out of bed the next morning. The clock beside me reads nine thirty, and I'm slightly embarrassed at sleeping in for so long. I quickly get dressed for the day. Just as I pull out the movie script to read it thoroughly for the first time, there's a knock on my door. Standing in front of me when I answer it is none other than Tyler. I immediately start to close the door, but he already has his foot in the way.

"Listen, Sonny, I'm not here to make any false promises. But here's the truth: I want to be a Hollywood star again. And the way I see it, this movie is what's gonna get me that. So I don't care about you or even your boyfriend. All I'm concerned with is making this movie the best that it can be. I spent some time back home, taking anger management classes because I was forced to, and now I can see that my behavior wasn't exactly the best before. But being a movie star has always been my dream, and I'm ready to go after it again as a different person. Okay?" I search his eyes carefully as he speaks, and sincerity is there. I decide to believe him. After all, what would _not_ believing him get me? Another enemy, that's all. And that really isn't necessary.

"Fine. Then what are you here for?" I reply tersely.

"To run lines, actually. And ask if you would mind getting breakfast with me. I'm pretty sure you haven't read the script yet - " his glance falls on the packet in my hand, still perfect, and I feel a bit guilty. "But your character and mine are best friends. And to make this believable, we're gonna have to get over our past and at least be civil to one another off set. So, truce?" He holds out his hand to me. I eye it warily before finally accepting it.

"Truce," I agree with a small smile. Tyler returns it somewhat awkwardly.

"So. What do you say to breakfast? There's this great café a couple blocks down the street." I'm tempted to pull out my cell phone and text Chad, but then the memory of last night stops me. I don't really want to have the conversation that follows yesterday's to be witnessed by Tyler. And I'm sure Chad needs his rest. He'll understand about Tyler; after all, Mitch did say he wanted the four of us to all get closer. I'm simply following his wishes. Tyler shifts from his right foot to his left, waiting for my answer, and I show a full grin, one that feels like it's been missing for awhile.

"That sounds great," I tell him as I step out and close the door behind me. "Let's go!"

**Chad's POV**

I wake up to a light knock on my door. My first thought is that it's Sonny, and she wants to talk about what I told her yesterday. Hopefully she understands. I stumble out of bed, still dressed in my rumpled clothes from yesterday that I never bothered to change, and brush my fingers through my hair, which is somewhat tousled from last night's restless sleep. What awaits me at the door surprises me - it's not my sunshine after all. Instead, it's the girl who was the prominent figure in our conversation last night. Mandy.

"Hi, Chad." She seems embarrassed. Or rather, embarrassed for her. Which isn't really embarrassed at all. "I'm sorry I woke you, I just thought that you would already be up." I glance back at the clock mounted on the wall and squint to make out the time. Ten o'clock. "But I forgot, you're probably exhausted from yesterday. Speaking of yesterday, I'm really sorry. About the way I acted, that is. Can we start over?" Hearing those four words from an ex-girlfriend - "Can we start over?" - basically means that they want you back. Trust me, this is not an unfamiliar concept to CDC. I sigh and lean against the doorway.

"Look, Mandy, I have a girlfriend, okay?" One who may or may not be wanting to bite my head off at the moment.

"Oh, I know. Sonny, right?" I nod tiredly. "Mhm. The one whom I just saw leaving the lobby with Ben?" Mandy gives up the "nice" act, shooting for coldhearted cruelty instead. My bleary eyes blink rapidly at her words, trying to clear the sleep from my vision and my head.

"Ben? Who's Ben?" I ask quickly.

"Oh, you silly! Ben's our costar! Don't you remember?" _Tyler_. Apparently the recognition shows in my face, because Mandy giggles gleefully at my expression.

"Yup, I was in the lobby's lounge, reading over my script, when I saw the two of them walk by. I waved, but they didn't even notice me. They walked right out into the parking lot." I dash to the window as Mandy speaks, combing the ground for signs of either of them. She's right - I can tell that the girl who is crossing the street and walking away from the hotel is Sonny. And I have no doubt that the guy walking next to her and laughing is Tyler.

I bang my head against the window a few times in frustration. So this is Sonny's reaction? I tell her about _my_ history with one of our costars and she runs off with the other costar, the one whom _she_ has a history with? Fight fire with fire, is that her plan? Well, there's only one way to deal with that. I mean, I've tried. I've _tried_ to be understanding. I was the one who comforted her when she cried, the one who told her that everything was going to be alright. And after hearing about one of my exes, she runs off with one of her old crushes? I'm a loyal boyfriend, but I'm still Chad Dylan Cooper. And I draw the line at being left in the dust. I deserve some consideration.

"Mandy?" She turns to me immediately, a coy smile lighting up her face. It's been a few days since I've seen Sonny smile like that, and I grin back reflexively, glad that I can still make a girl smile just by calling her name. "You wanna grab some ice cream? For old times' sake? It would appear that our costars are busy, so maybe you and I should start working on that chemistry your dad was talking about yesterday by ourselves." I smirk as I speak. Sorry, Sonny. No more stepping over CDC; he can do whatever he wants to. Mandy evidently agrees, based on the way she's looking at me with a boldly flirtatious smile and wink.

"I would love to, Chad." She loops her arm through mine, and we walk out together, my head held high. You wanna play dirty, sunshine? Well, two can play at that game.

**Sonny's POV**

You know, Tyler's not a bad guy once you get to know him. As I munch away at my bagel (which is delicious; he wasn't lying, the café really is good), he summarizes the movie for me with detail and lots of expression. I can see why he's a good actor.

"So your character's name is Emily. She's best friends with this guy named Will, and another guy named James, that's me. Best buddies since kindergarten, apparently. They all go to the same high school now, and they live in a pretty common neighborhood. James is the class clown, Emily's the brainiac, and Will is the captain of the soccer team. And then there's Mandy's character, Ashley, who is the new girl in town. She immediately picks out Will as the guy she wants, and he is more than willing to accept. They go out, and Emily realizes that she is actually in love with Will. But, of course, it's too late, because now he's taken by Ashley. She admits her feelings to James, and he comforts her. It's about this time that he realizes that he's in love with Emily.

But he knows that she obviously doesn't return his feelings, since she loves Will. James decides to become more like Will - that is, more hardworking and sensible - in an attempt to win Emily's heart. But she's still hung up on Will. Ashley notices this, and she tells Emily that Will doesn't want her and James hanging around anymore, since he has newer and better friends. Emily believes her, because Will was starting to pay more attention to more "popular" people at school ever since he started going out with Ashley. She goes and cries to James, who decides to confess his feelings for her. She's overwhelmed and ends up fainting from exhaustion and stress.

James rushes her to the hospital and calls Will, because he knows that Will would want to know. He also tells Will about what Ashley said to Emily, and Will breaks up with Ashley before going to the hospital. Emily wakes up, and Will realizes that he's loved her all along. He and Emily kiss, while James watches from the outside, heartbroken. He leaves a note for Emily and Will, and then they show a scene of him driving away from the hospital, out into the unknown. Emily and Will are sad for him, of course, but they are happy together in the end." By the time Tyler finishes up the story, I'm enthralled. Of course it's clichéd, but what teen movie isn't? I'm itching to read the script now.

"Wow," is all I can say in response.

"I know. So my thinking is that we could finish up here, then perhaps run a few lines somewhere? There's a nice, quiet park nearby." I nod in agreement, standing up and throwing away my napkin. Jackson holds open the door for me, and we head out the door. We're just settling down in one of the park benches, pulling out our scripts, when I notice a familiar blond head going past.

"Chad!" I call out instinctively, waving. He turns at the sound of my voice, and it's then that I notice three things in very quick succession. One: He's holding hands with a girl. Two: The girl is Mandy. Three: Mandy is smirking at me with an expression that clearly reads _I win. Game over._

A/N: Drama! Okay, so I apologize; this chapter isn't the greatest. The part where I summarize the movie (sorry about that, by the way) is so completely clichéd, I know. I wasn't very inspired when I decided what the plotline for the movie would be. But I put that part in so I don't have to explain the movie's plotline when/if I have a chapter later on where parts of the movie will be shot. Sorry for the two long author's notes. Don't hate me, Chad, or Sonny! :D Chad's just frustrated. And, for the record, so is Sonny. And I will be too if you don't review! Please review if you took the time to read this chapter. Oh, and if you have the time, participate in the poll in my profile! Thank you. :)


	7. Confusion

A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed – demilovatolover, CrazedHmor, Fluffness, sonzizzle, Joker236, DmslilAngel103, call me what you want, Hiilani, Girltech101, dancingqueensillystring, lazyX1000, and girlpower8900 – your reviews were awesome. I'm glad you all seemed to actually like the movie plot :D This chapter's…eh. Just read it. :) And review!

**If We Were A Movie**

**Chad's POV**

"Chad!" I turn immediately at the sound of my name being called. It's two seconds too late when I realize that it's Sonny. And she's with Tyler. But the situation isn't at all like Mandy implied. Sonny's not even looking at him - her eyes travel from my face to my hand, which I now remember is joined with Mandy's, to Mandy's face. Tyler clears his throat awkwardly and stands up.

"So. You guys, uh, made it out here too. We were just going over lines. You wanna join?" He gestures to Mandy and me before turning back and glancing at Sonny for approval. She's still frozen, her gaze flickering between me and Mandy. The expression of stricken betrayal in her chocolate eyes is unmistakable, and I long to reach out to her, telling her it's all just been a mistake. But Mandy's vise-like grip restrains me as she replies to Tyler.

"Oh, maybe later, Ben. Chad and I were just on our way to grab some ice cream. Maybe we'll catch up with you two later," she answers for both of us, tugging on my hand to leave.

"No," I suddenly say, breaking the silence after Mandy's little speech and pulling my hand out of her grasp. Sonny's eyes fix on my face, an unreadable emotion behind her stare. "No," I repeat, louder and with more feeling. "I'm not quite myself today. I think I ought to go back to the hotel." Before anyone can say another word, before Sonny blinks and I have to see whatever her eyes tell me next, I turn around and walk away quickly. Mandy calls out after me, but I don't even pause in my step. I need to think.

**Sonny's POV**

Chad walks away. An overwhelming sense of déjà vu hits me as he gets smaller and smaller into the distance.

_It had been a very long day, and my head was pounding from all the tears that I had shed. So I stayed where I was, hugging Jackson and burying my face in his shoulder._

"_Sonny?" Tawni's voice rang out. "Sonny! What are you doing?!" I quickly stepped out of Jackson's embrace to find what he had been looking at before. He had known that they were there. I looked up at his face, which now wore a smirk worse than any I had ever seen. That jerk. Nico and Grady shook their heads at me disgustedly, while Zora glared with a look that said I was clearly insane. Tawni's expression seemed like she was ready to kill me. And Jackson. But worst of all was Chad. Those blue eyes that I loved so well were devoid of their sparkle, and he stared at me and Jackson with pain that reached depths I could scarcely imagine. I ran to Chad to hug him and assure him that I felt nothing for Jackson, but he backed away quickly. Betrayal was written on his face as he turned around and left. I watched him disappear around the corner for the second time that day, as another piece of my heart shattered inside me._

I long to do what I did back then, and run after him. But this time, I'm not the only one who's done something wrong. He was with his ex-girlfriend, for crying out loud! Isn't there some kind of law against being seen by your girlfriend with your ex? Especially holding hands with your ex, and looking for all the world like a couple in love? Yes, I'm sure there is. It's unwritten, but it's obvious.

"Well then." Mandy crosses her arms, pouting that Chad didn't respond to her cries. "Sonny, could I talk to you?" Oh no. That doesn't sound good. "Ben, could you leave us?" She wants privacy. Even worse. Tyler complies, giving me a small smile as he leaves. "Sonny, what are you even doing here?" Mandy turns back to me and fires the question immediately.

"I'm - I'm in the movie," I say stupidly, too confused to give a coherent answer.

"Yes, but _why_? I know you. You don't want this. All you want is _So Random!._ That's all you've _ever _wanted." I shudder as she speaks. It's as if she knows exactly what I was telling myself last night, as if she knows my weaknesses, as if she has all the weapons to bring me down. And she does.

"I - no, I - I've wanted other things," I protest feebly, racking my mind for anything of importance that I really, truly wanted.

"Oh, really? Like what? Chad? Newsflash, honey: he doesn't want you back. He told me so today." The words echo in my head as she continues. He doesn't want you back. He doesn't want you back. "He said that he liked you for a time, but these things can only last so long. And, of course, he couldn't ignore the chemistry that he and I still have. We were going to get ice cream, you know. Relive our first date, it's kind of our way of starting up a relationship." Tears start to fill my eyes. Is she serious?

"I - I have to go," I manage to say before turning my back to Mandy and running. I'm blinded and disoriented by my sobs, but all I know is that I have to get away from that - that - awful person. Once I dash through the hotel lobby and make it up the elevator (this time with no company), I lock myself in my room. I know that Chad will have heard me crying and slamming the door even through the wall, and the last thing I want to do right now is talk to him.

I collapse onto my bed, exhausted from both the day's events and my impromptu sprint. The TV immediately flares to life as I realize that I'm sitting on the remote. Santiago and his Spanish accent greet me, and I sit up halfway, eager to be distracted by the latest gossip news for tweens.

"A cheating drama star and his heartbroken girlfriend. Is Channy finally over?" I sit straight up, shocked. What does the press already know? And how could they know it so quickly? They must be hiding somewhere in the city. "Here at _Tween Weekly TV_, we have exclusive footage of this breaking news cover story." My eyes are glued to the screen as what I feared plays out in front of me. It shows Chad and Mandy, walking out of his room, Chad still slightly rumpled and Mandy smiling like she's hit the jackpot. That can't be what it looks like. Can it? The camera freezes on a shot of Mandy and Chad walking together. They're holding hands, like when I saw them, and their heads are turned towards each other, smiling as if they're sharing a private joke.

"And where was Chad's supposed girlfriend through all this? It appears that Sonny Munroe has also fallen prey to one of her costars - and it's someone she knows very well. Jackson Tyler, former Hollywood heartthrob and used-to-be _Tridark_ star, has returned to the world of fame and fortune under the new name of Ben Landon Tyler. Has his anger management improved while he's been away?" Santiago replays the clip that had started Tyler's downfall. "If he's hanging out with Sonny Munroe, the one who was victim to his irrational and sudden bouts of anger, something must have changed. We found the two of them in a cozy cafe, looking captivated with each other." A picture that must have been taken when Tyler was telling me about the movie is displayed. He's looking straight at me with his eyes lit up, and I'm leaning in and staring at him, enthralled. Is that really what it looked like to others? Because that wasn't how it was at all. I wonder if Chad's picture is just as misunderstood.

"Whatever the situation is, all is clearly not well. The two couples came across each other on their separate outings, and Chad Dylan Cooper was the first to leave the scene only moments after discovering his girlfriend with Tyler. Tyler soon left as well, and the two girls had a heated confrontation before Sonny ran away in tears. Our guess? America's most hated puppy shover has cheated on the sunshine of _So Random!,_ and she's not looking too happy about it. Channy might soon be a thing of the past. Reporting to you live from the heart of this drama, I'm Santiago Heraldo." I gape at the television for a moment in shock before leaping up. So everyone thinks Chad is cheating on me. And Mandy had even said that he didn't want me anymore. Well, there's only one way to know for sure - ask him.

"Chad?" I knock on his door. "Chad, we need to talk." The door opens, and the two of us just stare at one another for a moment. From here, I can see that his TV is on, and Santiago is going on about someone else's drama now. But that means Chad was watching what was on before that. The segment on us. "Chad, was what Santiago said true? Did you cheat on me? Do you prefer Mandy to me? Do you want to break up?" The words come out all on their own in a flat monotone, and Chad winces. He doesn't say a word. Seconds go by, and he doesn't even open his mouth once.

"Well, Chad? Do you?" I ask again, but this time I'm fully aware of what's coming out of my mouth, and I say it with a touch of anger.

"I - " he begins before stopping and restarting. "Sonny, I - "

His incoherency and unwillingness to speak can mean only one thing.

"It's fine, Chad," I choke out. "I get it. Have fun with Mandy," I force the words from my throat before turning around, turning away from Chad.

"Sonny, wait!"

A/N: Aah! Cliffie! Such drama. :P I don't know how much I'll be able to update over my winter break, but reviews make it faster. Please review! And happy holidays to everyone :D


	8. Distractions

A/N: Wow, I haven't updated in awhile. Sorry about that…but hopefully this chapter will make up for it? I'm not altogether certain what I think of it. But please tell me what you do! Thank you to reviewers: lifeisveryshortsoami, Fluffness, girlpower8900, kychelledebeast, call me what you want, DmslilAngel103, lazyX1000, TeddyLuver, FanFicGAWDD1996, Love at First Fight, Joker236, penguin0dreamer, and sonzizzle! You guys had some really great reviews last chapter, I was so happy. Want to do the same for this chapter? :D I promise I'll actually reply to reviews this time!

**If We Were A Movie**

**Sonny's POV**

"Sonny, wait!" I pause at his words, mentally battling with myself. Should I turn around? Should I not? Against my better judgment, I turn back to face Chad. He gestures to his room, and we walk in, shutting the door behind us for privacy. But turning around doesn't mean surrender. I'm not going down without a fight.

"What, Chad? What? Do you have something else to tell me that will break my heart even more?" I ask pointedly. To my frustration, the words come out less forcefully than I wanted them to, weakened by the tears building up in my eyes and throat. Even through my blurred vision, though, I can see Chad hesitate at my angry words.

"Sonny, I - I don't want to break up with you. I don't love Mandy. I only went out with her today because I thought..." he shuts his eyes briefly before looking at me with pleading desperation. I swear, he has the most expressive eyes in the world. "I thought you were so upset by our conversation that you turned to Tyler for solace. I was - I was jealous," he forces out. "So I tried to do the same to you." I laugh weakly, mockingly.

"Well, it worked. You can rest assured of that." Chad hangs his head slightly at my harsh tone, and my insides melt. I long to just reach out and take his hand in forgiveness, but that would seem weak. Instead, I soften my words and look at my hands, twisted together in my lap. "I didn't exactly turn to Tyler." Chad glances up at me with an expression of disbelief, and I decide that perhaps that wasn't the best approach. "Well, you see, he came to my room this morning and offered to run lines. He was so different...so perfectly pleasant, it was like he was someone else. And I was a _little_ upset about last night, I suppose, so I decided to just go with him." I return my gaze from Chad's face, still slightly skeptical, to my interlaced fingers. "I guess I wasn't really thinking."

"I guess I - I wasn't either." Chad's face contorts into a grimace at admitting he was wrong, an old habit that seems too hard for him to break. I give a small smile at the thought of it. "It just drove me crazy seeing you with Tyler! I hate that guy so much, and I couldn't help but remember how you used to like him so much, and how I came across the two of you hugging that one day when he was at Condor Studios, and I just couldn't stand it!" His voice got louder and more rapid as he kept speaking, the emotion behind his words building.

"So you went to Mandy," I complete, her stinging words fresh in my mind.

"No! No, I never did. _She_ came to _me_. She was the one who..." Chad trails off before suddenly slapping a hand to his forehead. "God, I'm so stupid. She came this morning telling me she was sorry, that she wanted to 'start over.' I'm sure you know what that really means." Mandy's gleeful face resurfaces in my memory. _"Chad? Newsflash, honey: he doesn't want you back. He told me so today." The words echo in my head as she continues. _He doesn't want you back. He doesn't want you back_. "He said that he liked you for a time, but these things can only last so long. And, of course, he couldn't ignore the chemistry that he and I still have. We were going to get ice cream, you know. Relive our first date, it's kind of our way of starting up a relationship."_ I shut my eyes tight, trying to block it out.

"Yes," I respond to Chad. "Yes. She wants you back."

"And I swear, she'll do anything. After she said she wanted to start over, I reminded her that you were my girlfriend. She then proceeded to tell me that you were out with Tyler, that she had seen the two of you leaving together. I rushed to the window to look, and sure enough, you were with him. And after that, I just saw red. I grabbed Mandy's hand and walked out with her. But it wasn't at all what stupid reporters are saying it was like." He motions towards the television screen, which used to display evidence of Chad supposedly cheating on me. I nod in agreement, believing his words. "So...are we good?" he asks nervously. I smile at his use of our old banter.

"Oh, we're _so _good," I say softly, finally taking his hand. A grin spreads across Chad's face, and mine grows to match it. "Just promise me something?"

"Anything," he agrees immediately. I'm tempted to change my mind and ask for something really outrageous, just to see if he really would do it, but I don't.

"Never take me out for ice cream."

**Chad's POV** (the next day)

Mitch has suddenly called another meeting today, and it doesn't sound like it's going to be a good one. After all, Mandy is his daughter. She's probably behind this whole meeting anyways. I don't share these fears with Sonny as we make our way down, though; I've learned that as far as Mandy is concerned, it's better to not even start the conversation.

Thankfully, Mitch, Mandy, and Tyler are all already there when we arrive. Normally, this would be a source of annoyance for me, since it would mean that I was late, but now I'm just glad that Sonny and I don't have to be alone in the company of Mandy and Tyler. Mitch's presence will force us to maintain some kind of composure.

"Listen up, kiddos - I've heard some rumors about you guys," Mitch says. I exchange worried glances with Sonny.

"I can explain," Sonny starts when she is interrupted.

"No need to explain! This is a perfect opportunity to pull in more viewers! Increase publicity! All that jazz!" He's clearly excited about all this. "Listen, what we need to do is add fuel to the fire, you see. Give them something to talk about." This doesn't bode well. "So, I've decided that you will keep it up! Chad, you will be seen around town with Mandy instead of Sonny. Sonny, we'll need you to be seen crying a few times, and running to see Tyler. We'll play it by ear after that. Our movie's popularity has gone up 200% after all that buzz yesterday! In fact, we should start filming right away. We'll start tomorrow! Take the time today to do the publicity stunts I mentioned. Meet at the set tomorrow morning at nine!" And with that, Mitch walks out. That guy doesn't allow people to talk. Or protest, like I was planning to. Sonny looks furious.

"Well, then, Chaddy. Shall we get that ice cream from yesterday?" Mandy snakes her arm into mine, and I quickly step away, towards Sonny. "Oh, Chaddy. You heard what Daddy – I mean, Mitch – said. We have to go out together! It's for the good of the movie." I'm completely screwed. Completely. Now what am I supposed to do? I look at Sonny beseechingly, hoping she knows how difficult my choice is right now. She stares back, the anger in her eyes burning me. _If looks could kill…_

Tyler walks up behind her and puts a hand on her shoulder, as if trying to calm her down. She glances up at him in surprise before flashing a brief smile. Oh, sure. She smiles at _him_. "Listen, maybe we should all just go out together," he suggests. Is _that_ his way of solving the problem? Does he think that will really help? Mandy glares at Tyler, obviously no more happy with this idea than I am. Sonny doesn't even turn to Tyler – her gaze flickers once more between me and Mandy, and that seems to make up her mind. The fact that Mandy and I are in agreement that Tyler's idea is a bad one prompts Sonny to think that it's a good idea.

"That sounds fantastic, Tyler. Let's _all_ go out for ice cream." So much for my promise yesterday. Sonny looks at me intently, daring me to object.

"Sounds – sounds great!" I agree. Mandy rolls her eyes and clutches onto my arm again.

"Fine. Let's go, then." I reach for Sonny's hand as we walk out of the room, but Mandy tugs me away, giving a look to Tyler. On cue, he bows like a gentleman and holds out his hand like a platform to Sonny. She grins at him before accepting, and I clench my fist. It's going to be a long day.

**Sonny's POV**

Words cannot describe the hatred I feel for that vile, foul, wicked, disgusting, obnoxious creature clinging to my boyfriend. I _know_ this whole stupid "publicity" thing is her idea. There's no other reason why Mitch would suddenly just decide to have her and Chad together. I'm honestly ready to kill her. And Chad just – he just stands there! He just goes with it! So I _have _to come along, just to keep an eye on them. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Okay.

"Oh, Chad! You're _so_ funny!" Mandy's laughter peals out from in front of me, where she's walking arm in arm with Chad, and my resolve disappears. Tyler squeezes my hand just in time, right before I'm about to snap. I look back at him with a silent apology, and he shakes his head with a smile.

"Sonny, I know this is stupid, but _please_ just go along with it. It won't be that long if we're already starting filming tomorrow. And besides…it's not like any of us have any show to fall back on if we screw this one up," he says in a low voice. A worried expression crosses his face, and I breathe in slowly again.

"Okay. I can do this, right? Of course I can. It's just that…" I trail off, and Tyler nods in agreement.

"I know what you mean. That Mandy sure is something." We both look over at her, chattering and smiling away brightly at Chad, who seems slightly bewildered by it all. I laugh at the thought before turning back to Tyler.

"Tell me about it. Would you like to distract me?" I ask before realizing how that question could be taken. Tyler's eyes widen, and he leans in closer to me. I'm about to tell him to stop when he puts his lips to my ear. The sensation tickles slightly, and I forget what I was going to say. I freeze, closing my eyes.

"Any time," he whispers softly. My eyelids flutter open, vaguely aware that something is not quite right, but it's not Tyler I see before me. He's still bent down, murmuring something else in my ear. It's Chad who stares at me, his head turned over his shoulder to face me, his eyes wide at the sight before him. I can only imagine how it must look to him. I shake my head frantically, trying to convince him that it's not what he thinks, but the sparkle in his eyes is nowhere to be found. Chad turns back and says something to Mandy, which makes her laugh even more. He laughs along with her. I look at Tyler, whose confused expression would have been funny if I was in any mood but this. He looks stricken, like he knows he's done something wrong. Tyler opens his mouth to apologize, but I shake my head before he speaks. He nods, somewhat ashamedly, and the four of us continue on our way. The two in front are laughing, joking, looking happy. The two in the back are silent. I would give anything to be in the front. With Chad. Somehow it doesn't seem too likely at the moment.

A/N: Wow. Even _I _didn't expect all the drama in this story. This chapter was intense to write, I was shocked by what happened as it progressed. (For those of you who don't know, I never have any idea what's coming next in a story, it really just comes out as I write. So I'm as surprised as you are!) Anyways, hope you liked it, and even if you didn't, please review! But hopefully you liked it. :D


	9. Traitor!

A/N: First of all – I apologize. My computer's antivirus went wacky and for some reason blocked FF's website for the last couple of days. I finally got it fixed today, though…so here's the next chapter. Thank you to Fluffness, Rita, Hiilani, Love at First Fight, DmslilAngel103, lifeisveryshortsoami, Zillionz, dancingqueensillystring, girlpower8900, call me what you want, TeddyLuver, lazyX1000, sonzizzle, and BrandNewEyes929 for reviewing! You guys really outdid yourselves on the reviews. I apologize for not replying – super busy, and then once I had the time, my computer failed me. And I just found out that my story **Guess Who's NOT Coming to Guest Star! **passed 15,000 hits! Yay! Anyways, you probably don't care about this anymore, so here's the chapter! :D

**If We Were A Movie**

**Chad's POV**

As I had expected, getting ice cream yesterday turned into a disaster. Sonny and Tyler had been _way_ close when we left the hotel, then they went silent after I caught Tyler whispering in Sonny's ear. But no more than ten minutes later, they started talking again. It was all very suspicious. Sure, I trust Sonny after our talk the other day. But I don't trust Tyler, no matter what he said about reforming. It seems to me that he was just spouting off pretty words. And then Mandy! Ugh. She spent all yesterday babbling nonsense to me, flirting for all she's worth. She's changed so much. It must be her loss of fame. I smiled back and said some clever things to her yesterday, though. Of course. After all, it's not like I can lose the job. I don't have my Falls to go back to. Speaking of acting...

I finish getting ready and head on down to the set, arriving at precisely nine. Apparently, everyone else came early, since a scene is already being shot. I head on over and sit in the chair next to Mitch. After all, shmoozing the boss never hurts. Except with Mr. Condor, evidently.

"Morning, Mitch. How's it going?" I ask.

"Fantastic!" he whispers excitedly. "Check out this scene here -the emotion behind it is perfect! This is going to be amazing." Well, that's good to hear. I turn towards where the camera is facing, and I see Sonny and Tyler together. Of course. Just as luck would have it.

"James, I don't know what to do. I'm in love with him! But now that this new girl has come into the picture, all he can think about is her. It's making me sick!" Sonny exclaims, tears welling in her eyes. She has definitely got acting chops. Then again, I knew that from the first day I met her. And Chad Dylan Cooper is never - okay, _hardly_ ever - wrong.

"I know. It's okay, Em. They'll break up soon enough, and this will all be over." Tyler pulls Sonny into a hug, and she buries her face in his shoulder. I know it's just acting, but I shift uneasily in my chair all the same. "And...you know, there are other guys out there. Plenty of others," he begins.

"But none like him!" Sonny laments, interrupting Tyler. "He's one of my best friends, James. I know everything about him. And I know that there's no one who is as kind and sweet and hardworking as he is!" Tyler turns his head slightly, so it's more toward the camera, and his grip on Sonny tightens as he does so. I clench my fist, earning a concerned look from Mitch. Smiling nervously to reassure him, I relax my hand. But that doesn't keep me from glaring daggers at Tyler. His gaze, which I assume is meant to be off in the distance, settles on me.

"I _will_ be the man you deserve, Emily. I'll be twice what Will is. And I won't let you down like he has!" Tyler's eyes harden as he whispers fiercely ("Emily" evidently isn't supposed to hear him), the emotion behind his words piercing me. Is it just me, or is his acting just a little too real? It's hard for me to tell when my girlfriend is sobbing in his arms and he's glaring at me with those cold eyes.

"Cut!" Mitch says, startling me. I look away from Tyler, breaking the staring contest, and his eyes follow mine to Mitch. Sonny also tries to see Mitch's reaction, and Tyler, noticing her movement, releases her from his embrace, somewhat regretfully. Or is that my imagination? "That was fantastic. I knew I hired you kids for a reason. The feelings behind it all - perfect. That was the...what, fifth take? Let's call it a wrap for now. You two can get to hair and makeup; we'll be doing another scene in a couple of hours. Oh, and Chad - you get Mandy, she's in the trailer just over there, and you two get to hair and makeup as well. We'll be shooting the scene where Ashley first comes to the school and meets the three of you, maybe we'll move onto where Emily and James find out Will and Ashley are dating after that. We'll see how long it all takes first. Got it? I'll call you when I need you. You'll get fifteen minutes heads up." I blink, mildly taken aback by the speed at which Mitch can talk. Evidently his daughter has inherited it.

Tyler casually slings his arm around Sonny's shoulders, earning a wink and approving smile from Mitch. I roll my eyes, annoyed, and Sonny lets out a small giggle. We haven't spoken since getting ice cream yesterday, but she texted me last night with a "Sorry about 2day. Love you. :)" and I replied with much the same kind of message. So we're good. As long as Tyler doesn't overstep on this "publicity" thing.

"You should probably go get Mandy, Chad," Tyler reminds me with a jerk of his head towards her trailer. I let out a sigh before realizing the logical thing to do – I can just text her. After all, these are modern times. And Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't run off to fetch people. Nor does he follow orders given (okay, he didn't give them, I guess. But he's trying to reinforce them!) by a jerk who's a little too fond of my sunshine.

"Right. Hang on two seconds," I tell Tyler, winking at Sonny as I pull out my cell phone and text Mandy. "It's all good. She'll meet us at hair and makeup." I walk over to the two of them and slip my arm around Sonny's waist, casually pulling her out of Tyler's reach as I do so. His mouth drops open. "Don't worry, Tyler. The only cameras around here are the ones filming us as characters. No one's out for gossip." I stride away with a spring in my step at having bested Tyler. Sonny looks up at me and shakes her head at me with a laughing smile. That'll teach Tyler to act so well.

**Sonny's POV**

After Chad so "subtlely" avoided having to see Mandy, I couldn't help but laugh. Poor Tyler seems a bit crestfallen, lagging behind us - I suppose I would be too if I was snubbed by Chad like that. But it's kinda hard to feel sorry for him when I see the way Chad is beaming at having "gotten back" at Tyler.

The three of us settle down into our chairs at hair and makeup once we get there. Chad's phone is buzzing nonstop with text messages - I'm assuming they're from Mandy - but he doesn't bother to read them. Which pretty much confirms my assumption. Eventually, Mandy herself saunters up. Her sharp eyes take in the scene; Chad and I sneaking glances at each other and smiling, and Tyler silently staring into space with a strange expression on his face. "Chad? Didn't you get my texts?" she pouts, putting one hand on her hip.

"Nope. Haven't seen any of them," Chad responds, lifting an eyebrow at me to keep me from laughing.

"Well, why not?! I was waiting for you! You were supposed to come and get me!" Mandy takes a deep breath after her mini-outburst, calming herself down. "But that's okay. We're all here now!" she says brightly in a fake voice. "Ben? Could you come with me for a sec?" I immediately look at Tyler, surprised. Mandy hasn't spoken to him at all while we've been here. I wonder what she can want now. Chad glances at me, his curiosity at Mandy's words also evident.

"Yeah, sure. Fine," Tyler replies. His voice is in a monotone. I'm starting to get concerned - is he okay? Is something wrong? He's not his usual self, not his angry "Jackson" self or his kind "Ben" self. He's...a lifeless self. I shudder at the thought as he gets up and follows Mandy. As they walk away, Mandy flips her hair and turns her head over her shoulder, catching Chad's eye. She frowns momentarily before turning back to Tyler, grabbing his arm and whispering angrily to him. Once they're out of sight, Chad speaks up.

"There's something fishy about that. Mandy normally isn't like that - and nor is Tyler."

"Definitely," I agree, nodding my head. "Let's follow them!" I suddenly feel an adrenaline rush. It's such a stupid thing to do, trailing after someone, but it's totally something I would have done back at Condor Studios with my fellow "Randoms." Sighing a little at the thought (I can't help but miss them, they're some of my best friends), I look to Chad for approval.

"Oh, fine," he consents at the look on my face. "Let's go, then." We bid a hasty goodbye to our hair stylists, asking them to keep our disappearance quiet for awhile, before walking in the direction our castmates went in.

"Jackson! What the hell?!" Mandy's shrill voice issues from a room down the hallway to the right. Chad and I creep over to the closed door quietly and lean in, putting our ears to the door. "It was your job to keep them apart! To cause a rift, create tension! What happened?!" My jaw drops. Tyler's _job_?

"I tried! But d*^# it, Mandy, it's hard! Sunshine Munroe isn't really that bad when you get to know her. Sure, I hate that boyfriend of hers as much as ever, but _she's_ not all you make her out to be. I don't like having to see her with daggers in her eyes whenever Cooper comes around! It's uncomfortable, and moreover, it's not helping me. I'm just trying to get my fame back. You told me that if I helped you break them up, I wouldn't regret it. Well, they were broken up for a time! And I haven't seen any proof that it did any good. I'm not an idiot. Tension on set makes it difficult to work - trust me, I learned that from my time on So Random!. And I'm not going to help you until I see any reason why I should. For now, I'm sticking to my acting, and d#%* it, I'll do my job well enough that I won't need your assistance." Tyler ends his tirade, and I hear Mandy's high heels click as she walks across the floor. A sharp, stinging sound is made, and I know she slapped him. Hard, too, if the noise is anything to judge by. Next to me, Chad rubs his own cheek, imagining the pain.

"You're a god%*!# son of a b#^%*. You're going to regret turning your back on me. And trust me, Miss Sunshine is too. So have fun. It won't last long." She spits out with disgust. Mandy's shoes start moving closer to the door, and Chad yanks me away into the room across the hall just before Mandy walks out. She doesn't notice us, thank God, and she walks back in the direction of hair and makeup.

I can hear Tyler banging his head against the wall in the other room, and I start arguing with myself. He's been a good friend to me the past couple of days, whatever his motivations were. He just decided to go against Mandy...and I seemed to be one of the reasons. But he's still the person who caused me more heartbreak than anyone else. The one who is the reason behind every serious fight Chad and I have ever had. The one who lied to me and was in cahoots with Mandy the whole time. Chad stares at me, a question in his eyes, and I let out the breath I've been holding. I know what I have to do - after all, I'm not "the nice girl from Wisconsin" for nothing.

I give Chad a quick kiss before leaving the room and crossing the hall. Right in front of the doorway, I hesitate. My weight shifts backward, and the floor creaks. Tyler's head shoots up from where he's sitting, eyes searching.

"Who's there?" he calls out suspiciously. I step into the room, a bit unsure.

"Tyler? It's me, Sonny."

A/N: Aah! Cliffie-ish? So yes, Tyler was "in cahoots" with Mandy the whole time. Which some of you guessed, and some of you didn't. So much drama. Some of you seem to like the drama, some of you don't. I hope you all like this chappie, though. Review! :)


	10. Take It or Leave It

A/N: Oh my God. I haven't updated in so long. I'm so sorry! In my defense: I had finals. And I also had 99 reviews, so I was kinda hoping someone would take pity on me and give me the 100th review. But I guess not. Do you think we can reach 110 this time? Don't leave me hanging again! I won't write the next chapter. :P Haha. Just kidding! Enjoy.

**If We Were A Movie**

**Sonny's POV**

Generally speaking, I'm a pretty levelheaded person. Sure, I can get a little overexcited, and perhaps a bit childish at times, but when it comes to the important things, my thoughts and decisions are as clear as anyone's. So why, you may ask, am I entering a room whose sole occupant is clearly upset with the world and has apparently been deceiving me for the past week? Well, to be honest, I don't know. Perhaps I'm not so sensible after all.

"Tyler? It's me, Sonny," I announce my entrance softly, still not exactly certain of what I'm doing.

"Munroe? What are _you_ doing here?" Tyler scrambles to his feet, getting up from where he was leaning against the wall. "You didn't…you know, hear anything…" He sees the tell-tale look on my face and sighs. "You heard." All I can do is nod in response. What is there to say? "So…you know that I didn't really want to be your friend," he states, phrasing it more like a confirmation than a question. I nod again. "And I was working with Mandy the whole time you've been here." Another nod. "And I hate your boyfriend." I wince a little, but nod once more anyways. "And yet you're still here," Tyler concludes, looking at me curiously.

"Well…yes," is my wonderfully coherent reply.

"…because?" He's evidently just as confused as I am.

"I don't know," I tell him truthfully. "I just felt like I needed to come – and just so you know, I'm okay. With the whole you working for Mandy thing. I get it. And I just wanted to tell you that…I'm glad you decided not to help her anymore. I really appreciate it. It – well, it means a lot to me that you did that. For me." Seeing the look on his face, I backpedal quickly. "I mean, not for me – for you. Yeah. Even though – well, yeah. For you," I manage to stutter out, tripping over my words. Tyler laughs.

"Well, yeah, I guess it was kinda for you. It sure wasn't for your boyfriend. You should have seen the way he glared at me when we were shooting earlier." Somehow, that doesn't surprise me in the least. _Oh, Chad_. But I love him anyways.

"Yeah, he can be a bit – concerned sometimes," I choose my words carefully, knowing that he's probably listening with his ear to the door. "But he really is a great guy. It took me awhile to see it, but he truly is. You just have to get to know him a little better. Maybe you two should hang out a bit more," I suggest. My words are immediately followed by a cough from Tyler and a snort from outside the door.

**"**Uh huh. Sure. I'll hang out with Cooper whenever I want to get a punch. I can probably even get him to make it match the mark on my cheek." He gestures to the red splotch that Mandy left when she slapped him. I flinch – it looks painful. That girl has strength along with an evil mind.

"I'm sure the makeup artists will have something for it. You wanna go back?" He nods, starting to move towards the door, and I can hear Chad scooting away quickly.

"Before we go, Tyler - " I stick out my hand for him to shake. "Truce? A real one this time?" He looks at it for a moment, considering.

"Oh, fine. But don't expect me to do anything drastic. And I'm still going to be following the publicity plan, so tell your boyfriend to lay off. He's got a pretty girl drooling over him anyways, why does he need you too?" I raise my eyebrows at him, and he tries to amend his mistake. "I mean…you know, in public. He has to put up with Mandy then, just like I'll have to when we're all not in public. We should _both _be able to enjoy your company when we get our breaks, without having to worry about beating each other up for every little smile." Tyler finally shakes my hand. I nod for what seems like the tenth time, but I know Chad will be practically immovable on the subject. Chad may not look it, but he's very insecure. If he thinks that I'm starting to prefer Tyler's company, it will pretty much shatter his self-esteem, which will probably lead to another explosion. I think I'll have to play it a little safe from now on, what with the both of them fighting for my attention. Weird, isn't it? If you had told me a year or so ago that I would one day have Jackson Tyler and Chad Dylan Cooper fighting over me, I would have laughed so hard that I could barely breathe. Now, however...it's just another problem to be solved.

**Chad's POV**

Sonny finally leaves the room with Tyler, and I let out a sigh. Sometimes I wish she wasn't so kindhearted - it causes so many problems with people whose personalities change and never are what they seem (aka, Tyler). I quickly step up and slip my arm around her waist. So what if I'm supposed to "lay off"? What would _you_ do if you just heard your girlfriend have that kind of conversation with a _kinda_ good-looking teen celebrity?

"Truce, dude?" Tyler sticks out his hand, and I eye it warily. When I don't take it immediately, Sonny nudges me, _hard_. I quickly grab Tyler's hand and give it one brief shake.

"Fine."

"Fine," he replies easily. No, no, no, it feels all wrong doing it with someone other than Sonny. I turn to her and smile.

"Good?"

"Good," she affirms, grinning back. "And now we should probably go back. We've been gone awhile." She and I lead the way, with Tyler following behind us. I mentally steel myself to meet Mandy - after all, I don't want to give in to my instinct and punch her once I lay eyes on her. That isn't exactly the most chivalrous thing to do. Not to mention I would probably lose my job.

However, my preparation appears to be unnecessary. Mandy is nowhere near hair and makeup. Our phones, however, which we left on the tables, are vibrating like mad. I rush over and pick mine up, answering the call. "Hello?"

"Oh, so you finally pick up?" I look back at the phone to see who it is, confused. It's Mitch. "Oh, God, I'm so sorry, Mitch."

"Yeah, well, you should be! Where are you, Sonny, and Ben? I've been calling the three of you for the last fifteen minutes!" Fifteen minutes? Were we really gone that long? I guess time flies when you're...eavesdropping?

"I'm so sorry, Mitch. What did you need?"

"I_ need_ you three on set! We're shooting the scene where Ashley first comes, remember?" Oh. Right. I look down at my shoes momentarily in embarrassment at having forgotten, when I remember something.

"Uh...Mitch, there's a slight problem. You see, none of us have really...gotten our hair and makeup done completely. And we're still in our clothes from before." There's a silence on the other end of the phone for a long moment.

"Well, then," Mitch finally says quite calmly. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" Somehow I don't think he's as easygoing as I thought he was. Then again, Mandy's probably feeding him stories about us this very second. That girl is..._evil_. I apologize once more before dropping the phone and getting ready in record time, as do Tyler and Sonny. When we all finally arrive, Mitch's face is red with frustration. That's never a good sign.

"So. What happened? Why did you take so long to pick up your phone? Why were you not ready? Why has my daughter been here and ready to go for the last fifteen minutes while you have not?" Mitch turns to Tyler. "Ben. Mandy's been telling me you're having a few issues. In fact, she's been telling me a lot. I don't think you want to know about it, though. I'm certainly shocked by what she's told me." Tyler opens his mouth to defend himself, but Mitch cuts him off. "I hired you because my daughter recommended it. She told me that you were a promising young actor who had caught a bad break and needed help. So I helped. And this is how you thank me? By crushing my daughter?"

"E-excuse me, sir?" Tyler asks, confused. "Crushing your daughter?"

"Why, yes. She told me all about it - how you flirted with her constantly until she finally agreed to go out with you. And then you stood her up on the date! Not to mention that when she confronted you about it, you told her that you were just playing around with her feelings, and that you had another girl as your target." I can't help it; I have to look at Tyler, searching for the truth.

"Sir, I swear to God that I never had any inclination towards your daughter, nor did I pretend to," he proclaims, his voice ringing true. Then again, he _is_ an actor.

"Can you swear that you did not have another girl in mind, as you were toying with my Mandy?" Tyler's eyes flicker over to Sonny as Mitch speaks, and Sonny immediately grips my arm, restraining me.

"I swear," Tyler says, but his words aren't quite so convincing anymore. Mitch doesn't buy it anymore than I do. Mandy bursts into tears behind Mitch, and that seals Tyler's fate. There's nothing that Mitch will deny his darling daughter.

"Liar. Ben Landon Tyler," Mitch's voice quivers slightly as he says Tyler's full name. "You are officially fired. You may pack your bags and leave no later than tomorrow." Mandy's smiling through her tears now, her entire face glowing with triumph. Sonny gasps beside me at Mitch's verdict, worried. Tyler stands frozen for a few moments before nodding.

"So be it." He walks away stiffly, and Mitch turns back to the rest of us as soon as Tyler is out of sight. Mandy lets a few more tears escape, sniffing for added effect. This girl is crazy. She _fired_ him over Sonny and me. Even if I don't like Tyler, that's still ridiculous. Not to mention totally unfair.

"You three can go. Don't come to set until I call you. I have to find another James before we can start filming again. Just...have fun and stay out of trouble." Mitch sounds weary, as though it's been a very long day for him. Sonny doesn't need to be told to leave twice. She marches off quickly, tugging on me to go faster. Mandy tries to join us, her sobs ceasing.

"Well. How did you like that, sweetheart?" Mandy addresses Sonny. "Did you like how your latest flame got burned?" She laughs at her own joke, and Sonny and I remain silent. It's the first time I've seen Sonny keep a straight face after a pun. "Listen up, Sonny. You too, Chad. This is how things work around here. I give orders, and you follow them. If you don't like it that way, then too bad. You'll get fired. Get the picture? You've got to take it or leave it." Sonny suddenly stops in her tracks, causing me to jerk forward.

"Take it or leave it?" she repeats.

"Taking it meaning I run the show here. Meaning I get Chad, and anything else I want, until this movie is finished. Leaving it meaning you leave, Munroe. Meaning you quit and go back to that godforsaken comedy show that's going nowhere. Your choice." Sonny looks up at me, and I know what she's asking. Well, Chad, moment of truth. Are you going to take it? Or leave it?

A/N: Okay. I don't know what happened to this chapter. This isn't how I expected it to go at all; I'm not sure if I even like it. Oh well. Let me know what you think! Oops. I guess it was another cliffie. Sorry – but I needed to update. So I stopped it right there. Review, review!


	11. The Day I'd Never See

A/N: Another horribly long break, I know! I'm going to be more consistent. I promise. Besides, I'm pretty sure this story's a few chapters or so away from an end…although I'm not sure. Anyways, thank you all for your reviews, you got me to 110! You're amazing. Happy belated Valentine's Day! And SWAC season 2 comes out on March 14th, see my profile for more details! Yay!

**If We Were A Movie**

**Sonny's POV**

I've always loved Chad's eyes. After all, what's not to love? They're beautiful and sparkly, and they appear to almost change color in different situations (and, of course, lighting). Not only are they gorgeous, but they also provide something unique: an insight into Chad and his thoughts. He's all but mastered his body language and voice when he needs to lie, so the only clue is in his eyes. They sparkle in times of happiness, and harden when he's angry. Of course, there are plenty more - but the most relevant at the moment is flickering. His eyes flicker around the room when he's nervous or uncertain. How does this tie in with the present situation? Well, Chad's eyes are flickering right now. And I'm guessing that he is both nervous _and_ uncertain.

The only problem is that I don't know what that flickering is supposed to indicate about his decision.

"Well, Chad?" Mandy asks, grabbing his arm and looking at him pleadingly. "You're staying, right?" I drop his hand, not wanting to share contact when she's holding onto him. His initial hesitation to answer does not bode well.

"Well, I - " Chad looks from me to her, eyes flickering more than I've ever seen.

"You're staying? Yay!" Mandy pounces on his uncertainty, giving his answer for him. And he doesn't immediately protest, which is all the confirmation I need.

"You're staying? Very well. Have fun making the movie - without me. I know what's good for me, and I'm not going to spend anymore time catering to the wishes of a b$%* who shouldn't have any control over my life," I spit out, stalking off. "You know," I spin around and face the pair of them, one jubilant and the other dazed, "I think that your decision to stay says enough, Chad. Goodbye. Have fun flirting with your costar, since that's all you want to do, apparently. And it's not even considered cheating anymore! Because you no longer have a girlfriend to cheat on." I turn on my heel and walk out, my head held high. It's a good thing I never unpacked completely. I'm heading back to Condor Studios to beg for my job back. I've had enough of movies. And boyfriends who can't make up their minds.

**Chad's POV**

Sonny stalks off, and I can't help but admire her bravery. Here's a little-known fact about Chad Dylan Cooper: he is a coward. I can't just walk away from possibly the big break of my career like Sonny can. Mandy tugs on my arm again, forcing me to look at her, and I feel slightly disgusted.

"Thank goodness she's finally _gone_," Mandy sighs happily, as though she just escaped a dentist's appointment with no cavities. I smirk at the thought, and Mandy's face lights up, thinking I'm smiling at her. Before I know what's happening, she suddenly reaches up, and the next thing I know, her lips are on mine and her hands are tangled in my hair. Once I process what's going on, I wrench away, but it doesn't deter her. She simply wraps her arms around me in a hug, whispering, "I love you, Chad Dylan Cooper."

Oh, this is perfect.

For a moment, I'm lost. What should I do? But then I'm reminded of another girl, another time, another declaration of love.

"_It became 'I love Sonny Munroe.'" I looked down at her, my expression full of hope. Surely she felt something? Anything at all? Her face was frozen, her mouth moving wordlessly for a few moments. And then she lit up. It was like watching the sky when the sun rises. A smile spread across her face, her eyes glowed, and her entire aura was simply radiant. _

"_I love you too," was finally her response. It was plain and simple. But those four little words meant the world to me. _

And all of a sudden, Mandy doesn't seem important anymore. And neither does her stupid movie.

"Do you, Mandy? Do you really?" I gently take her hands, removing them from their position on my back. This is my time to prove how well I can act. Chad Dylan Cooper, it's time to charm. "Look, it was sweet of you to say that. Way sweet. But the bad circumstances we were placed in are just too much to be healed by even the truest love. Just because you wish for something doesn't make it so. I'm sorry. I think it's unfair to the both of us for me to continue working on this movie together. So I'm quitting." She opens her mouth to speak, but I know exactly how to stop her. I put up a finger to her lips. "Shh. The time for talking's over. I must go. So go - go back to your daddy. And put your sweet little dreams of love to bed." I hold onto her hand for as long as possible as I walk away, giving her a little wave at the end. Mandy stares after me, wide-eyed. These girls. They never learn, do they?

**Half an hour later...**

I went straight to Sonny's door once I got away from Mandy, but she wouldn't open up. Of course, it's possible that she had left already - but I doubt it. I think it's more likely that she simply didn't want to speak to me. Which is understandable. But unlike in the past, I'm not concerned about that. Once I meet her at Condor Studios, which I will in a few minutes, everything will be fine.

As I pull into the parking lot, I notice something suspicious. The lot is completely full. Which has never happened in all the time that I've been here. As I wonder what's going on, I notice a figure getting out of one of the parked cars and taking out suitcases from the trunk. It's Sonny.

"Sonny!" I call out, unbuckling my seatbelt and opening the car door to meet her. She turns around and sees me, and I pause for a moment as she takes in the sight of me. Sonny shakes her head slightly before turning back to unload her suitcases. I'm unsure of what that really means, so I rush over to see her. "Sunshine," I say, slightly out of breath.

"Chad," she replies shortly, not meeting my eye.

"I'm – I'm here. I know I should have followed you immediately when you left, but I just – I needed some time to work up to it. You know me. I'm…well, not as daring. I always need time before I can make decisions. But you should know that Mandy never had anything to do with my hesitation. It was all up here." I point to my head. "I'm sorry, sunshine." Sonny finally looks at me, weighing my words in her mind.

"Are you, Chad? Are you - "

"Yes. I am. Really," I cut her off, smiling. She smiles back, hugging me (it feels _so_ much better than Mandy's), and I breathe a sigh of relief. Good. I was worried for a moment there that my charm would fail.

Haha! Just kidding. As if. My charm never fails. It always works. Eventually.

"Really, Chad? _Really_?" That wasn't Sonny. I turn around to see Marshall standing there, along with the Randoms. Is it weird to say that I'm glad to see them?

…yeah. I think it is. But I'm still glad to see them anyways, weird or not.

"Randoms!" I walk over to greet them, but Sonny is much faster. Within the blink of an eye, she's somehow already hugging all of them at once.

Choruses of "I missed you so much!" and "It's so good to see you!" pour out, but they all seem to be coming from Sonny. The Randoms, on the other hand, are being their usual strange selves by responding completely differently from how one would expect. For example: "My snake missed you." "My dressing room is too pretty; I'm not used to it being like that!" "Sonny, you've got to help me out with this one girl." "Did you bring cheese?"

Mhm. No comment, I know. Marshall welcomes Sonny back with a hug. "Well, kiddo, you came back. Good thing we didn't call in replacements for you yet, unlike _Mackenzie Falls_. That would be terrible!" I laugh along with everyone else before his words hit me.

"Wait, what? _Mackenzie Falls_? They're…replacing me?" I ask, panicking.

"Well, of course they are. They need to film, you know," Marshall explained. "That's what all these cars are here for. They're auditioning people right now." Sonny turns to me, her eyes wide. I quickly kiss her on the cheek and wave to the other Randoms before running over to Stage 2. Sure enough, there's a huge line of people who could _almost_ be my clones. If they were better-looking.

"Chad? Chad Dylan Cooper?" My director marches over with his clipboard, looking frazzled. I just realized that I don't even know his name. Is that weird?

"Yup, it's me. I'm back, here to stay." The director – I'll call him D – his eyebrows shoot up. "Mhm. So these CDC wannabes," I gesture towards the sea of blond, blue-eyed heartthrobs, "might as well clear out." D chuckles weakly, tugging at his tie.

"Well, uh, you see, Chad…they're clearing out anyways." I'm confused. I motion for him to continue. "We, uh, well, we just hired someone. Signed the papers half an hour ago. These are just the leftover candidates who are now trying to earn roles as extras." My jaw drops.

"You – you _hired_ someone?!"

"Well, you couldn't expect us to wait around forever, could you?" D replies, still fidgeting. "Sorry, Chad. But now here's an opportunity for you to move on to bigger and better things." Oh, perfect. Just perfect. I'm fired. I never thought I'd see the day.

A/N: Ooh, what happens next? Review, review!


	12. Are You Ready?

A/N: Fewer reviews this time. :( But that's okay. I forgive you. My slow updates ought to be punished anyways. I've been wanting to write, but every time I try to, a one-shot idea pops into my head and I have to write it. Speaking of, for the sake of "promotion," which I'm feeling shockingly not guilty about at the moment, I'd love it if you went to check out some of my one-shots if you haven't already. I've written 20 now (yay!), so…well, there really was no point to that. I kinda just wanted to let you all know, my loyal readers. :D Haha. Anyways! Onwards with the story…

**If We Were A Movie**

**Sonny's POV**

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Condor Studios? Well, I do. Quite a lot. Especially in times like these, when everyone's happy to see me, and I'm happy to see them. When you leave a place you love, it's amazing how much you miss everyone. And I mean_ everyone_. From people like Tawni, Nico, Grady, Zora, and Marshall, to Josh, Brenda, Hayden, and even Portlyn. So the sight of Portlyn sitting in the commissary, eating Brenda's latest delicacy, is a pleasant one. I'm assuming that Chad is still working things out with his director, getting his job back, so I decide to see how Portlyn's doing while I wait for him.

"Hey, Portlyn," I smile brightly. "How's it going?" We've had a more friendly relationship in past months than before, but I still wouldn't call us anywhere near close.

"It's not that great right now. My head hurts from the noise that all those rejected Mackenzies are making!" I nod understandingly.

"Oh, right, you guys were auditioning for a new Mackenzie. Well, you don't need to anymore, at least!" I say in what's hopefully a consoling tone.

"Ugh, I know, but that new guy is so - so annoying!" What?

"New guy? What new guy?" I ask urgently.

"Well, the new Mackenzie, of course," Portlyn replies matter-of-factly.

"There's a new Mackenzie?" I bury my face in my hands. "But - but Chad and I are back at Condor Studios! To stay!"

"Oh. Really? Well...they signed the papers and everything this morning." Portlyn shakes her head slightly, dismayed. "I'm sorry. I wish Chad was still Mackenzie too." Just as I'm about to reply in kind, my phone rings. Giving Portlyn an apologetic smile, I answer it.

"Hello?"

"Sonny, I've got some bad news. Awful, actually." It's Chad. He sounds terribly downcast. Well, I would be too if they had replaced me.

"I know," I sigh. "Portlyn just told me. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. Do you have any ideas?" I rack my brain for a few seconds. Who on the lot could use an extra cast member? Not _Mackenzie Falls_, obviously. Chad isn't really the _Teen Gladiator_ type (although that would be _hilarious_), and _Hoosier Girl_ is just stupid. _Meal or No Meal_ is likewise out. That leaves...

"Chad!" I exclaim into the phone. Next to me, Portlyn jumps slightly. "Why don't you join _So Random!_?" There's a long pause on the other end of the line as Chad thinks it over. I can practically see him running a hand through his hair in contemplation, then hastily fixing it in fear of it being less than perfect. I stifle a giggle at the thought.

"Well...I don't know," is his reluctant answer. But I can tell he's leaning towards the idea. His only worry is what others will say - after all, that would mean he's a "Random" now from "Chuckle City." Not very good for his image after all that he's said.

"Cha-ad," I singsong, pleading. "You know you would have fun. You spend all your time over here with us anyways. And our fans love you - the sketch that you guest starred in is our most popular sketch of all-time. Besides, it could be temporary, while you look for another job. And you'd be with _me_ in the meantime." There's a long sigh from Chad as he thinks it over, but I can tell by his tone that I've already won.

"Fine. I'll go talk to Marshall." He makes it sound like he's all for me, but it so isn't. He just loves to put up a show.

"Fine," I mimic, with his "reluctant" tone.

"Fine." His smirk is obvious from the way he speaks.

"Good."

"Good. Talk to you later, sunshine."

And just like that, perhaps things aren't quite as bad as they seem.

**Chad's POV**

I've got to admit, I'm pretty good at getting what I want. In fact, you could almost say that I'm a natural. It's just how things have always been, and probably always will be. And at this moment, simply walking into Marshall's office and seeing the look on his face, I know I'm going to get what I want. It's that simple.

"Marshall." I nod in acknowledgement, and he returns it, albeit a bit nervously.

"Chad. What, uh, what seems to be the problem?" _Well, you see, I've just been fired for the first time in my life, and I don't have anywhere to go, so I figured I might as well come here._

"Well, you see, I've been thinking, and I believe that as an actor, it would be wise for me to pursue many different paths before selecting the one that's best for me." Marshall nods in agreement, rubbing his bald head. "So I've decided that having done drama, I might do a bit of comedy. And I figured that the best place to start is _So Random!_, based on our history." I offer up a charming, business-like smile.

"Well – you know, we're not really looking to hire anyone – I mean, our ratings are pretty high at present – "

"Ah, yes. Your ratings," I cut in, not rudely, but simply speaking quickly as he pauses for breath, "Would those be the ratings that happened to be off the charts ever since I guest starred on _So Random!_?" Marshall takes a moment to think about it before rubbing his sweaty (gross!) head again. I think it must be a nervous habit.

"Why – why, yes, I suppose you're right. They _have_ been up ever since you guest starred. And that sketch was our audience's favorite in the last poll we took, by a large margin. You know, maybe you _should _join the _So Random! _family." He's coming around. Perfect.

"I think that sounds fantastic."

"I think it does too. Let me just pull out some papers…" And just like that, half an hour later, everything's settled. I'm officially a Random. A shudder runs down my spine as I think of it. But hey, who knows? Maybe it won't be that bad.

**Two days later…**

Did I say it wouldn't be that bad, me being a Random? I may have been just a teensy bit wrong on that count.

First of all, I endured lots of what Sonny calls "teasing" and what I call "crap."

_"Drama King turned Random! Hahaha!"_

_"Aww, did CDC move to CC? Aka _Chuckle City_?"_

_"So much for being better. Now you're a loser like the rest of us!"_

I was so close to exploding. Putting up with that kind of stuff isn't my thing. I'm Chad Dylan Cooper, no one says things like that to me. But Sonny convinced me (as she always seems to) that it would be the right thing if I simply ignored everyone. So I did. But it took a lot of self-control that I didn't honestly have before this. And I'm not so sure that I want it now that I have it.

Well, that was just from people at Condor Studios. Then there was the press. Constantly in my face, even more so than usual, demanding to know what had happened, first with Mitch, then with _Mackenzie Falls_. I eventually fed them some story about needing to explore my options, like I told Marshall, but they weren't quite as believing. They're still clamoring outside my apartment with their cameras.

And then there was Mandy. Oh, Mandy, Mandy, Mandy. She called. Or rather, correction: she's still calling. Every half hour, to be exact. I don't pick up, of course (thank goodness for caller ID), but she leaves messages. Every. Single. Time. _"Oh, Chad, you and I can work this out. I know we can! Daddy's canceled the movie now that everyone quit, there's nothing stopping us!" _Spare me the drama. I'm so over that kind of stuff now. (Don't give me that look.) So I don't speak to her. Maybe she'll eventually get the hint. Good thing is, though, I've already prevented her from telling the press about me. Or rather, us. Ugh. That sounded wrong. But to get back to the point, she's now convinced that I'm secretly longing to be with her, I just have to stay with Sonny to keep up appearances, but Mandy and I will be together as soon as possible. Hey, whatever floats her boat. And keeps mine from sinking.

Have I mentioned the sketches? They're weird. I'm gonna say this flat out. I get personally disturbed by some of them. That Gassie one freaks me out. And what's the point of it? God knows. Some strange dog that "passes gas" and can make beef stroganoff. Ooh. That's funny. But it's okay. I mean, I'm getting used to it. After two days, funny as it is. And now I'm in a sketch myself.

At least I'm wearing normal clothes. Marshall was convinced that for my first appearance, I needed to actually look like myself, so the viewers (and fans of _Mackenzie Falls_) would be motivated to watch. So I'm on the set, in my "costume," mentally prepping myself and mouthing my lines. Sonny, on the left of me, glances over and smiles reassuringly, whispering "You'll be great." I grin back cockily, replying "I know I will be." She shakes her head, and we both turn to face the thick curtain with huge smiles.

_"Are you ready to get _So Random!_?"_ Yes. I am.

The curtain is drawn. The spotlights turn on. And the camera flashes as the audience applauds wildly. This is where I'm meant to be.

Lights, camera, action.

A/N: Strange. Very, very strange. Hmm. But then again, I've always seen Chad as having a flair for comedy if he ever really wanted to try it. And in forcing him into it, it kinda works. I don't know, maybe that's just me. But anyways…hope you liked it, and review! There won't be much after this chapter. I think maybe an epilogue and that's it. Tyler will definitely figure into it somehow, I'm not so sure about Mandy. Hmmm…well, we'll see. For now, it's just this chapter. Review please!


	13. The Reason

A/N: Oh my gosh! It's over. I've loved writing this story, and especially loved hearing your feedback. You guys were so inspiring! :D Love you all.

**If We Were A Movie**

**Sonny's POV**

It's been a month since Chad became a Random. We've all had to adjust, of course, but it would seem that all has turned out for the best. Chad has made an effort to embrace the _So Random!_ way of life, as we call it, but some changes have also taken place for us. For example, we all now get the same food as the cast of _Mackenzie Falls_. I'm not sure how Chad works his magic on Brenda, but it certainly works, and I'm not complaining. Nor are my castmates, obviously. They think it's the best part of Chad joining our show - or at least, that's what they _say _is their favorite part.

As for Chad himself, well, if you were to ask him what his favorite part of being a Random is, he might say the "opportunity that it has afforded him to explore career options for the future." But he would be lying. As reluctant as he was initially, he's begun to like _So Random!_. Of course, Chad has been receiving offers from other shows and movies once he announced that he was "exploring career options," so you never know how long he's going to be staying. His contract is only three months long, even though it can continue to be renewed indefinitely. But for now, I've decided to live in the present. I know that he won't be at Condor Studios forever, and neither will I. So we're making it last.

"Sonny?" Josh's voice startles me out of my musings as he pushes his mail cart into my dressing room. "Delivery for you." He holds out a large, yellow envelope, like the kind that my report cards used to come in.

"Thanks, Josh," I smile and take the package, weighing it in my hand. It's fairly lightweight, and I'm curious as to what's inside. There's definitely something hard. Josh nods and leaves me to open the envelope.

I unclasp the silver fastenings at the top and tip the envelope over, its contents spilling into my lap. It's a CD, along with a piece of paper. I unfold the paper first, only to see the words "Listen to the CD before reading this."

Grabbing the disc, I pop it into my CD player and turn up the volume, leaving the piece of paper on the envelope. Music starts to play, and the lyrics that come with it make me catch my breath. But it's not just the lyrics themselves. It's knowing the voice that's singing them.

_I'm not a perfect person_

_There's many things I wish I didn't do_

_But I continue learning_

_I never meant to do those things to you_

_And so I have to say before I go_

_That I just want you to know_

_I've found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

_I'm sorry that I hurt you_

_It's something I must live with every day_

_And all the pain I put you through_

_I wish that I could take it all away_

_And be the one who catches all your tears_

_That's why I need you to hear_

_I've found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

_And the reason is you_

_And the reason is you_

_And the reason is you_

_I'm not a perfect person_

_I never meant to do those things to you_

_And so I have to say before I go_

_That I just want you to know_

_I've found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

_I've found a reason to show_

_A side of me you didn't know_

_A reason for all that I do_

_And the reason is you_

I know who it is before I even open the note. It's Tyler. Tyler, whom I haven't seen or heard from since I watched him get fired. A few tears running down my cheeks, I slowly unfold the paper once more as the music comes to an end. He's written the message in his own handwriting, which somehow serves to make it more meaningful.

**To Sonny,**

**I'm pretty sure you know who this is. And if you don't, well, you'll know soon enough. Look, I know I haven't heard from you in awhile, and vice versa. I'm sorry about that. I had to clear my head for a little while, and figure out what I was doing with my life. And you know what? I realized that I haven't really done much. Nor have I wanted to. I wanted fame, and fortune, and everything a guy could ask for. So in order to get that, I did a lot of things I'm not proud of. And you should know that I'm really sorry for all the pain and drama that I've made you experience. I've decided to leave my past behind, and to create a new life for myself. And I have to tell you, it wouldn't have happened without you. So I wrote you this song. Perhaps you don't like me. I can understand that. Perhaps you do like me. Only someone like you could. But either way, you should know that you're my reason. The reason for me to change who I used to be. The reason for me to start over new. The reason for all that I do. The reason is you.**

**Tyler**

"Sonny?" For the second time today, someone walks in and surprises me, but it's not Josh this time. It's Chad. He immediately catches sight of the paper in my hands and the tears on my cheeks, and he rushes over to hug me.

"It's not Mandy, is it? She's stopped calling for the past couple days, I hope she hasn't decided to send you hate letters instead," he asks worriedly. I shake my head with a small smile, holding up the note.

"No. It's Tyler." Without another word, I walk over to the CD player and play the song again. Chad stands frozen in his spot the entire time the music is playing.

"Sunshine?" He finally moves, speaking as though something is lodged in his throat. "Are you..."

"No," I tell Chad simply, grinning. I know his present fear - that I'll leave him. "No. I'm staying right here with you. But that isn't going to stop me from sending Tyler a friendly and grateful reply, is it?" I give Chad a wry smile, and he relaxes.

"No, I guess not. But remember, even if you _are_ his reason, you're still _my_ everything." All of his cocky self-assurance seems to have come flooding back.

"Your everything, Chad?" I lift a skeptical eyebrow as he nears me, putting his hands on my waist.

"Mhm. You're my sunshine." He kisses my forehead. "You're my laughter." He kisses my left cheek. "You're my perfection." He kisses my right cheek. "You're my Sonny." Finally, he kisses me on the lips. When Chad pulls away, he's smiling brightly. "You're mine."

"And _you_ are _mine_," I reply, kissing him in return. We link hands and walk out of the dressing room, Tyler's note in my pocket and Mandy's messages in his cell phone, leaving behind the past and looking to the future.

A/N: I forgot to mention, I don't own "The Reason," which is a song by Hoobastank. I heard it for the first time in awhile a few weeks ago, and I knew immediately that I had to use it in this story. It just seems to fit so well. That note of Tyler's, I've been wanting to write it for ages. Anyways, I hope you liked the story. I know the ending is super cheesy – I somewhat stole it from the end scene of "Pride and Prejudice," the 2005 movie version. But what can I say? I wanted to finish with fluff. I hope you all enjoyed this story. Please leave me a review if you did! Thank you.


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